Posts Tagged ‘Shark Fin Soup’

Shark Week 2012 is only days away and I couldn’t be more excited. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Shark Week and if you don’t know what shark week is it’s when the Discovery channel airs shark specific programming for a week that typically falls in July or August. Shark Week first aired July 17, 1988 and is now considered to be cable’s longest running program event. My geeky fascination with sharks was definitely aided and abetted by the annual event that was designed by the Discovery channel for the average person to gain a greater knowledge and respect for these often misunderstood creatures. Shark Week has also been instrumental in promoting preservation of the various shark species that are close to endangerment.

Sure sharks inspire fear in many but in actuality each year there are less than 100 shark attacks reported. Humans slaughter millions of sharks each year. It’s estimated that upwards of 80 million sharks are killed mostly because the demand of their fins. Shark finning is an inhumane practice that involves the catching of various types of sharks and cutting off only their fins while discarding the still alive shark overboard. The shark will then suffocate or bleed to death. The fins are used for Shark Fin Soup, an Asian delicatessen most widely eaten by the wealthy Chinese. Economy in China is booming and the demand for shark fins has greatly increased.  While there are a few laws in place globally to try to stop shark finning it has been nearly impossible enforcing them. Shark fins offer very little nutritional value and even less flavor but a pound of shark fins go for about $300 a pound and Chinese culture demands it.

Shark fear and hatred was largely promoted by Steven Spielberg’s Jaws movie. Kudos to the Discovery Channel for 25 years of attempting destroy shark prejudice through educating us. Here’s to another 25 years of Shark Week. Read more: I wish every week was Shark Week