An appeal to stop serving shark's fin soup
Published July 14, 2011
We, the Filipino people, appeal to restaurants to stop serving shark's fin soup.
Studies show that sharks, as the apex of the marine ecosystem, have among the highest levels of toxic mercury found in fish. Organizations all over the world, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, recognize mercury to be a dangerous neurotoxin that can cause male sterility and extensive damage to the nervous system and fetuses. These organizations warn against eating shark meat, especially pregnant women, women who plan to become pregnant, and children.
In addition to its potential health hazards, the high consumption of shark’s fin soup has alarming implications to the environment. The 2006 Red List of shark species published by the World Conservation Union listed 110 species of sharks and rays that are either critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable, while a further 96 are facing some level of threat. Sharks grow slowly, mature late, and do not reproduce often, which means that shark populations are particularly vulnerable to overfishing and recover slowly, if at all. Approximately 70-100 million sharks are killed annually to meet the demand of the international shark trade, which increases by more than 5% a year. Limited regulations exist to control this trade. Shark fishing and finning is happening all over the country. As the top predators of the sea, sharks play an important role in regulating all the species in the marine ecosystem. The loss of sharks can cause the entire marine ecosystem and biodiversity to collapse.
The growth of this market is unsustainable and contributes to the decline of shark populations globally. We fervently urge you to stop offering shark’s fin soup, and informing your customers of your commitment to shark conservation. Public awareness is essential in this pursuit.
The Philippines is the center of marine biodiversity in the world, but our resources are in dire need of conservation, protection, and restoration. By removing sharks fin soup from your menu, you will be leading in marine conservation.
If the buying stops, the killing can too.
Studies show that sharks, as the apex of the marine ecosystem, have among the highest levels of toxic mercury found in fish. Organizations all over the world, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, recognize mercury to be a dangerous neurotoxin that can cause male sterility and extensive damage to the nervous system and fetuses. These organizations warn against eating shark meat, especially pregnant women, women who plan to become pregnant, and children.
In addition to its potential health hazards, the high consumption of shark’s fin soup has alarming implications to the environment. The 2006 Red List of shark species published by the World Conservation Union listed 110 species of sharks and rays that are either critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable, while a further 96 are facing some level of threat. Sharks grow slowly, mature late, and do not reproduce often, which means that shark populations are particularly vulnerable to overfishing and recover slowly, if at all. Approximately 70-100 million sharks are killed annually to meet the demand of the international shark trade, which increases by more than 5% a year. Limited regulations exist to control this trade. Shark fishing and finning is happening all over the country. As the top predators of the sea, sharks play an important role in regulating all the species in the marine ecosystem. The loss of sharks can cause the entire marine ecosystem and biodiversity to collapse.
The growth of this market is unsustainable and contributes to the decline of shark populations globally. We fervently urge you to stop offering shark’s fin soup, and informing your customers of your commitment to shark conservation. Public awareness is essential in this pursuit.
The Philippines is the center of marine biodiversity in the world, but our resources are in dire need of conservation, protection, and restoration. By removing sharks fin soup from your menu, you will be leading in marine conservation.
If the buying stops, the killing can too.
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