Viewing Thread:
"Marine Slaughter"

I’m sure most of you have heard about the ivory trade that kills thousands upon thousands of elephants every year, or illegal trade in Bengal tiger skins. These are tragic events among a whole host of inhuman animal trades that go on year after year.

But do you know what happens to the creatures under the water? In some ways its even more cruel. The trade in parts of marine creatures in unbelievable. To start with, 100 million sharks are killed worldwide every year. That figure is mind-boggling. But these sharks mostly aren’t getting killed for their meat. I’m sure a few of you have eaten Shark Fin soup at the local Chinese. Most of the sharks killed around the world are killed purely for their fins. The fishermen haul them up, lop off the fins with a knife, and chuck the sharks back in. The sharks are helpless. Those fins can’t grow back. They are vulnerable to attacks from other sharks, or any other marine predator. Even if they somehow evade predation, they can’t eat, having no way to steer, and they slowly starve to death.

The wings of rays are also big money. The rays most under risk are manta and eagle rays. These are two of the most beautiful creatures in the sea. Anyone else who has seen one diving will agree with me. But fishermen haul them up, chop off the wings to sell for food and throw the rays back in or leave them on the beach. A friend of mine went diving in Tobago, and he saw two of the most horrible acts of ray persecution. First, on a beach, two eagle rays were left to drown in air after a fisherman chopped off their wings and left them on the beach. These were spotted eagle rays, rare creatures whose loss cannot easily be replaced. Another time, he was driving home when he came up behind a fisherman’s truck. Across the back was dumped a gutted dolphin and a 3 metre wide manta ray. They were driving to the fish market to sell them off. Now dolphins aren’t usually fished for. No doubt they were trawling, found the dolphin caught up in the net, and killed it anyway.

Turtles are also at danger. The gentle animals, among them the Hawksbill and Green varieties – both rare, are killed and scooped out of their shells. The shells are later sold to tourists as decorations.

I realise that there’s a different side to this story. I’m not trying to place the suffering of marine animals above that of land animals. I’m also not trying to vilify the fishermen involved. Most of them are poor natives to the area, who are just trying to feed their families. The trade in marine parts is just their way of surviving. No, the problem is the tourists and Western consumers who make such a trade profitable. It’s simply cruel. The same is true of land animal poaching.

I’m not placing blame on anyone who’s eaten Shark fin soup or ray wings. Most are unaware of the truth behind what they are eating, and if you know, that’s your choice to make. I’m simply trying to make people aware of what is happening. If you know of any other stories concerning marine, or land animal slaughter, or think animals don’t matter if they can get a good Chinese meal for under £10, please post your opinions. That’s what this is for, after all.

Heh. Ok. No Shark-fin soup. Good argument though :)

Truce.

Hmm. We both seem to feel strongly about this issue, and its obvious we're not going to resolve it. A truce, then. heh. Just lay off the Shark Fin Soup OK?

I know some people do care enough. Your point in the original post about the people who eat the soup not realising about the brutality is completly valid. But, getting those people to realise what's going on is harder.

It's all about stopping the market in the west. I've repeated this point enough for you to know what I'm going to say. Of course it's preferable for them to stop because it's moral, but that's not going to happen, because of the money and the will to survive.

Anyway, it's a good argument and is still going to go on as neither of us seem to be backing down..

Some people do care, Jess. Although there is little we can do, there is something small. If enough people stopped eating Shark Fin Soup and Rays Wings, then the fishermen wouldn't kill them because it isn't cost-effective. I'd prefer them to stop because it isn't moral, but stopping by any method would be preferable. And I'll agree that there are worse things in the world. Nuclear weapons, famine and os forth. These may be more terrible, but cruelty on any level is just brutal. And I just posted this so people could be aware of what is happening, and make thier own choice. I'm not trying to force my views on anyone, although i do like a good arguement ;)

Yes, preserving the ocean is fine. But what about the pollution from out numerous cars and factories? Granted, cars are used elsewhere in the world, but these fumes are destroying more then the ocean. Transporting oil to make our petrol can lead to oil slicks which desolate stretches of oceanand smother sea birds with tar.

America, one of the biggest polluters refused to sign the Kyoto (sp?) agreement because it would damage their economy. Doesn't that seem similar to the Fishermen not selling only fish, because it would slacken their income?

We're never going to see eye to eye on this subject and I know that. It's a good discussion, but I still firmly hold onto my views on the matter.

There ARE much worse things going on in the world, there are greater threats to the environment then the cruelty to sharks. Sure, it's not a nice thing to do to them, but alot of things in this world isn't nice. It would be great it the world was perfect, but first of all it would have to be fair and judging from the divide between the North and South that is not going to happen any time soon. Why? Because we're to content with out comfortable lives to care enough to sacrifice that to make the world a fairer place.

I ramble again..

See you RBS. Nice chatting to you. Cheers for the input. Now me and jess have to argue some more. heh. leter.

A swordspine.....lucky bar...ahem.

I wasn't saying we have the right to force our views on someone. But they are so blantantly wrong. And the sheer cruelty of what they do is what astounds me. Surely sharks are edible. They could at least use the bodies, instead of throwing them back in and leaving them to eke out a miserable existance.
And I'm not saying we are better than people in the Third World. i accept we have life a lot better, and I said earlier I have a lot of respect for the effort they have to give just to survive. We are not better than them, but the fact is, they are not better than us. We are equal if we want to preserve the ocean.

Stryke wrote:
And the seconds going to be devoted to the deep,
> about creatures that hardly anyones seen. Apparently theres a
> creature don't there that can never close its mouth because its
> teeth are too big. God bless the Radio Times for this knowledge!

Lol, I got it from Heat. My sisters mag...

And
> 10cm is quite big for a swordspine.

It's not as big as some of the pictures I've seen. 20 CM one of them... !

Gah, beginners luck :)

Luck my ar...m That wasn't the first dive I'd been on.

Anyway, I really do have to go, Ciao!

Very well and I'll stick to mine.

I'm half laosian myself and I know how tough it was for my mother growing up in a 3rd world country, although having no first-hand experience myself. It is easy enough for you to talk about the alternatives, because we live in nice easy England, with a education system, NHS and all these facilities provided for us. Sure, they may not be brilliant, but they're a lot better then those in other places. Life is tough in 3rd world countries and we have no right to tell them how to make their living without trying to survive in those countries ourselves for a while.

Stryke wrote:
> I can and will blame them. As I've said, there are other
> alternatives. They may be harder, but nothing can be acheived if you
> always take the easy way. And don't say - you can talk, you don't
> have to support a third world family.

Yeah well, you don't have to support... :-D

These people have my respect,
> because they work harder than I ever will for far less money. But
> there ARE alternative,s and I stick by my view on this one.

Fair enough.

I've gotta go and have a shower. This has been a good dicussion.

See you lot tomorrow!