A Barbaric Practice

I have written before on the ugly and wholly indefensible slaughter of sharks so that their fins can be enjoyed as a delicacy, but now seems a good time to remind people of this barbaric practice. I just received notice of a petition from Change.org calling on the Canadian government to ban the distribution, consumption and sale of shark fins.

Please take a moment to watch the following brief video, read the ensuing explanatory text and then consider signing the petition, obtainable by clicking on the above link.

Sharks – the apex predators of the oceans – have survived 400 million years of evolution, yet many species may face extinction within our lifetime. Up to 100 million sharks are being killed every year, most often their bodies are discarded and only their fins are kept to be used in Shark Fin Soup – a delicacy in some Chinese restaurants. Over hunting of the world’s largest fish has caused severe declines among many shark species, including the iconic Great White. Currently a third of shark species are threatened with extinction, and some populations have plummeted by over 90%. Sharks are essential to the health of our oceans. As apex predators, sharks maintain a critical balance in the ocean. When sharks are eliminated, disastrous effects have been documented further down the food chain, including the collapse of commercial fisheries and the degradation of coral reefs. If sharks were to become extinct, this would have massive unintended consequences for our ocean ecosystems worldwide. Time is running out for the world’s shark populations. It is time to take a big step in preserving the world’s vital oceans by banning the sale and distribution of shark fins and shark fin products nationwide.

Mississauga Bans Shark Fin Products

Say what you will about Mississauga and their errant mayor, but on Wednesday its municipal council did the right thing. Despite those who urged caution, the council voted to implement a ban on the possession and sale of shark fin products, now joining the Canadian cities of Brantford and Oakville, and the State of California, in taking a stand against this barbaric practice. As well, Toronto will soon be considering implementing the same measure.

Meanwhile, my letter to the Hamilton City Council of August 23 requesting such a ban continues to go unanswered. Hardly surprising, in that it is not one of the more progressive municipalities in Ontario.

Shark Fin Ban Update

The latest news on shark finning, the ugly and barbaric practice of killing sharks so their fins can be used to make a soup prized as a status symbol in the oriental community, comes from two communities, Mississauga and Toronto.

Last night, the former voted to move forward with a bylaw banning the possession and sale of shark-fin products in the city, capping nearly an hour of debate on the matter. The bylaw decision — which will not be formally voted on until next week’s council meeting — comes a month after city staff suggested municipalities do not have the authority to ban shark fin.

Toronto, sadly, is being offered the same timid staff advice to the effect that the city has neither the legislative reason nor the manpower to enforce such a ban, first proposed by two councillors, Glenn De Baeremaeker and Kristyn Wong-Tam.

Said senior licensing and standards manager Bruce Robertson:

“The matter is one that clearly and more properly rests with more senior levels of government.”

He added it would be “very difficult, at best, and nearly impossible, at worst, to enforce the ban on a product that can be legally and easily purchased,” outside Toronto and brought in.

The committee will instead be urged to call on Ottawa to ban the importation of shark fin, cartilage and all other derivative products to Canada, and to protect shark populations in Canadian waters.

While the call for a national ban seems like a good idea, given the Harper government's reluctance to impede commerce in any way, I am doubtful about the fate of such a proposal. As well, there is nothing to stop Toronto council from passing its own ban as an interim measure.

Nothing, that is, except perhaps the political will to act with integrity.

Please sign this petition urging Prime Minister Harper to stop threatening Michaela Keyserlingk and to stop exporting asbestos.

Star Article on Shark Finning

Having written previously on the inhumane and ecologically disastrous practice of shark-finning, I was pleased to discover in my morning read of The Toronto Star an article about the practice in China, which has the greatest appetite for shark-fin soup, considered a delicacy and status symbol there and throughout the world. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of high-profile individuals including Richard Branson and Yao Ming, both of whom held a news conference for WildAid in Shanghai last week, there is a growing recognition among the Chinese that this slaughter must stop.

If the topic is of interest to you, I hope you will check out both the story and the video that accompanies it on the Star website.

A Ban on Shark Fin Soup

I have written previously about shark finning, the barbaric practice of cutting off the fins of sharks while abandoning the rest of the creature in the ocean to either drown or bleed to death. Despite the fact that sharks are vital to the ocean ecosystem and therefore to us, this illegal practice continues virtually unabated thanks largely to the apparently insatiable appetite of the Oriental communities throughout the world who regard shark fin soup as both a delicacy and a status-enhancing repast.

Two communities in Ontario, Brantford and Oakville, have already banned the sale of this soup, and now Toronto is considering prohibiting its sale. Unfortunately, as reported in The Toronto Star, restaurant owners in the area are claiming such a ban would be unfair, as it would drive those seeking the experience to neighbouring communities.

There are many issues over which we have little influence or control. This is not one of them. Refusing to succumb to one's thirst for status, refusing to aid and abet illegal and barbaric practices, should be, as they say, a 'no-brainer.'

People in communities across the country need to insist that their municipal representatives outlaw the sale of this soup.