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Argumentative Essay On Shark Finning

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Shark finning is the process of cutting off the fins of a shark and discarding the body at sea (“Stop Shark Finning”, 2009). People catch sharks for its fins, meat, oil, skin and so on. Sharks fins are most commonly used in Asian cooking which is shark fin soup. According to Maddalena, Sommeran and Leander (2007), people have been demanding for shark fins dramatically recently, it is unclear how many sharks are caught annually but some of the conservationists estimate the number to be upwards of 100 million. Besides, shark conservationists are aware about the consequences of the high demand of shark fins, they advocate people to stop killing sharks and eating shark fins. Practice of shark finning is causing imbalance marine ecosystems and it …show more content…

According to Latchford (2013) research, he states that the difficulty in preparation and the length of time taken to prepare certain food also represent its uniqueness and allure in Chinese culture. However, to say that shark fin soup is part of the traditional culture for the majority of the Chinese is disingenuous because most of the Chinese is not in a financial position to consume this dish. The consumption of this dish has only risen for the last few decades. According to Sharks at risk (2013) although it is traditionally an expensive dish (with a price tag upwards of US$100 a bowl), it is increasingly sold more cheaply and as economies grow in Asia, a dish once reserved for the elite is now available to many more consumers and is in demand in many Asian communities around the world. Global trade in shark fins is increasing, and the market for shark fin soup is estimated to be growing by 5% per year (“Stop Shark Fining”). Hence, even shark fins are used in traditional dish in Chinese culture but it is not the reason that causing sustained demand of shark fins; it is because of people irresponsible consumption of shark fin soup and it is a main source of income for certain developing

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