It's one thing to talk about shark finning in the abstract. It's something entirely different to see and understand the impacts viscerally. The film Sharkwater brought the tragedy home. So, too, does Man & Shark-- a new book and accompanying short documentary about industrial-scale shark finning and its impacts around the globe.
Not only do photojournalists Paul Hilton and Alex Hofford tell the story on film. Alex is blogging about the issue, as is Paul. They are sharing their words and gut-wrenching photos online.
It's impossible to look at their work without grasping instantly the enormity of the problem, and what's at stake.
Many of Alex's photos (like the one above) come from Kesen-Numa City in Japan -- a place where, as he describes it, you can "see what happens when modern manufacturing processes and shark finning collide."
(If you've seen the Academy Award-winning film The Cove, imagine the same sort of slaughter taking place not annually but systematically to feed a voracious market for shark fins.)
Fortunately, the issue's coming to the fore, through groups like WildAid and through the efforts of many ocean conservation groups, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
If you live in the United States, you can urge your Senators to support legislation that would close one final loophole so we'll better enforce the U.S. ban on shark finning. It takes just a second to act.
We can't have healthy oceans without protecting the top predators, who play such an essential role in preserving the balance and vitality of ecosystems. We can make a difference -- by caring, by learning, by standing up and speaking out.
Photo copyright by Alex Hofford; used with permission; www.manandshark.com
We can make a difference by caring, by learning, by standing up and speaking out.
Posted by: friendship patterns | July 28, 2011 at 06:30 AM
Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discarding of the rest of the fish...it must be banned because humans have no right to harm such creatures! every creature has its own importance in ecology!
Posted by: PCR | July 13, 2011 at 07:27 AM
"Man and Shark: The Horror"- It sounds really very interesting.
Posted by: Roberts Cottages 20 | February 27, 2011 at 01:16 AM
Sharks are unfairly depicted as 'man-eaters' because of horror films like JAWS.Finning is the inhumane practice of hacking off the shark's fins and throwing its still living body back into the sea. The sharks either starve to death, are eaten alive by other fish, or drown..O god!it should get banned.
Posted by: intmc | February 18, 2011 at 10:28 AM
It's impossible to look at their work without grasping instantly the enormity of the problem, and what's at stake.
Posted by: Danny DeMichele Entrepreneur | February 10, 2011 at 02:49 AM
To me this is the most horrorific site I can imagine. It brings tears to my eyes. Please sign the petition to stop his cruelty.
Posted by: Hellhoundharbor | August 02, 2010 at 11:02 PM