Shark fin soup? No Thank you!
Posted on October 16, 2008 - Filed Under HSUS, Nigel Barker Today, Studio NB, Travel Shoots
I’ve written before about my work with the Humane Society of the United States to end shark tournaments. Now, I would like to tell you about a step you can take to help protect sharks.
My photography career sometimes brings me to China, a country rich in respected cultural tradition. One bit of culture I avoid while I am there, though, is consuming shark fin soup. Historically reserved for Chinese emperors and the nation’s elite, today many hosts seek to honor their guests by serving this lavishly expensive dish. I never want to offend my hosts, but I decline because I understand the devastating impact the hunt for shark fins is having on marine ecosystems around the world.
Every year, tens of millions are sharks are killed to meet the rising demand for shark fin soup. To maximize the value of their on-vessel cargo, commercial fishermen will slice off the precious fins. They then throw the sharks’ bodies back into the water, dead or in the process of bleeding to death.
This wasteful and cruel practice has contributed greatly to the decline of many shark species. As is true with any top predators, collapse in shark populations can throw off the balance of the ecosystems to the detriment of other species.
You don’t have to travel to the Far East to find shark fin soup. Unfortunately, it is now served in restaurants here in the United States and around the world.
Most people who consume shark fin soup are not aware of these problems. Many vow never to have it again once they learn the truth about its origin. That is why I want to tell you about Humane Society International’s No Shark Fin Pledge. I hope you will join my by signing the pledge, then sending it to your friends and family to help spread the word. hsi.org/sharkfinpledge
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10 Responses to “Shark fin soup? No Thank you!”
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Its amazing how much you help people! I envy you for that! You are amazing at what you do and I love looking at your photos. Your ideas are so original and creative.
If your ever in need of an intern let me know id LOVE to work with you!
Dear Mr.Barker,
Thank you so much for your efforts! I couldn’t agree with you more about the finning industry. I take it you have seen Sharkwater now – which attempted (until the narrator and camera and boat crew had their lives threatened) to expose his hideous industry.
Not only is avoiding shark-fin soup good for the ecosystem, it’s also a good way of taking a bite out of crime by decreasing the demand (and thus price) for fins!
Hey Nigel!
I’m the volunteer that helped out with protesting the shark tournament this summer (second in from the left). Not sure if you remember me, but I just wanted to say thanks again for all the good work that you do! I am now working full time with the Animal Rescue League of Boston and hope to come out again next summer to protest the shark tournament! (if its still on…) Hope to see you there!
- Marcie
Hello. Just kinda stumbled across your website at random.
My first reaction to this post, being Chinese myself and having grown up with family dinners involving shark fin soup, was an immediate defense about my culture. I’m all for animal rights and conserving the wildlife, but I really dislike it when jabs are taken on cultures. But upon further reading and getting over my initial knee-jerk reaction, I really appreciate the approach you take on raising awareness about the cruel treatment of sharks. I feel like I’ve heard about the cruelty taken on them after hunting for their fins before, but my general perception was that anything the Chinese culture uses as a food source is used completely. But I’m not gonna lie; I don’t exactly know everything about my own culture having been born and raised as a Jersey girl and thus Americanized.
Anyway, it’s great that you can take your status and really do something to better the world with it. I believe that raising awareness is the best solution. I recently did some research on the Giant Panda and a lot the species’ downfall was an ignorance/unawareness. But now that more people know about the importance of them regarding biodiversity as well as the economic value gained from the tourism they attract, a larger and better effort has been made to help conserve their habitat. So I really feel that awareness and education will help the sharks’ cause. :]
Sorry for the rant… Just appreciate what you’re doing!
You are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi from Argentina!!
Nigel!
Do not hesitate! keep the hard work! They need us to survive!
Where can we donate? what can we do? Thank you!
THANK YOU FOR THEM AND FOR US !!
Kisssssses for all
Thank you !!!
why would anyone eat shark fin soup???..even though I haven’t eaten it myself what does it taste like?????……even though we got to save them they scary fish huh????…..even though I never have eaten shark fin soup I signed the petition to not eat shark fin soup….did good huh Mr. Nigel???????
Why would anyone need or want to eat shark fin soup, its obvious to anyone what will happen to the worlds sharks if it carries on.