[quote=Press Release – New Zealand Shark Alliance]Five political parties will publicly pledge their support to end shark finning in New Zealand at a signing in Parliament grounds on Wednesday 7 November. Representatives from the Labour, Green, Mana, New Zealand First and United Future parties will meet …5 November 2012
Politicians sign shark finning pledge
Five political parties will publicly pledge their support to end shark finning in New Zealand at a signing in Parliament grounds on Wednesday 7 November.
Representatives from the Labour, Green, Mana, New Zealand First and United Future parties will meet the New Zealand Shark Alliance (NZSA) to sign the nationwide petition to ban shark finning.
The National Party declined to meet NZSA to discuss the issue.
Removing fins from dead sharks and dumping the body overboard is a grossly wasteful and unsustainable practice contributing to the worldwide decline of sharks. The practice is banned in nearly 100 countries, but not in New Zealand. New Zealand is one of the world’s top 20 exporters of shark fins.
The Ministry for Primary Industries is currently reviewing the management of shark fisheries through its National Plan of Action – Sharks. The NZSA calls on the government to use the opportunity to end the practice.
NZSA members include Forest & Bird, Greenpeace, The ITM Fishing Show host Matt Watson, Sea Shepherd, WWF, ECO, Our Seas Our Future, White Shark Conservation Trust, Kelly Tarlton’s Sealife Aquarium, New Zealand Underwater and Shark Fin Free Auckland.
What: Politicians sign pledge to end shark finning
When: 1:30pm-1:45pm, Wednesday 7 November
Where: Parliament grounds near the Seddon Statue[/quote]
[url]http://business.scoop.co.nz/2012/11/05/politicians-sign-shark-finning-pledge/[/url]
Pretty awesome news for conservation efforts.
They will still be able to hunt sharks for their fins, they just won't be able to cut the fins off at sea. You'll have to land the full body at the docks. Meaning you can't stuff your cargo hold full of just fins, but full sharks. Bigger fins mean bigger sharks means less room in your cargo hold. So we'll be able to expect a lot less catches unless fishermen target juvenile sharks.
[QUOTE=OvB;38334266]They will still be able to hunt sharks for their fins, they just won't be able to cut the fins off at sea. You'll have to land the full body at the docks. Meaning you can't stuff your cargo hold full of just fins, but full sharks. Bigger fins mean bigger sharks means less room in your cargo hold. So we'll be able to expect a lot less catches unless fishermen target juvenile sharks.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, not a complete ban, but some progress is always good.
Sharks aren't often targeted specifically for their fins in any case, they're usually caught as bycatch on longlines meant for big fish such as tuna. Fishermen fin the sharks and toss the carcasses when they haul up their lines.
[QUOTE=OvB;38334266]They will still be able to hunt sharks for their fins, they just won't be able to cut the fins off at sea. You'll have to land the full body at the docks. Meaning you can't stuff your cargo hold full of just fins, but full sharks. Bigger fins mean bigger sharks means less room in your cargo hold. So we'll be able to expect a lot less catches unless fishermen target juvenile sharks.[/QUOTE]
That's a good thing, because I can only wonder how many sharks have been thrown back into the ocean after having their fin cut off. Wasn't this a concern in shark finning? It's extremely cruel and stupid and goes against everything that a decent human would stand for, even a man in the food business.
[QUOTE=Rents;38334292]Yeah, not a complete ban, but some progress is always good.[/QUOTE]
At least then people will be able to use the whole shark for food instead of just the fin, less wastage and suffering.
[QUOTE=NorthernFall;38339697]At least then people will be able to use the whole shark for food instead of just the fin, less wastage and suffering.[/QUOTE]
Also makes it take up more space in the boat, making it less profitable, which is the only reason it's happening.
[QUOTE=Gekkosan;38339620]That's a good thing, because I can only wonder how many sharks have been thrown back into the ocean after having their fin cut off. Wasn't this a concern in shark finning? It's extremely cruel and stupid and goes against everything that a decent human would stand for, even a man in the food business.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that's basically the whole idea of the bans. People will still get their fins, unless they live in a city/state/country that has possession of fins banned, they just won't be acquiring them through animal cruelty. Fishing of sharks in general is still an issue in itself that needs to be dealt with for a healthy ocean.
[QUOTE=OvB;38340177]Yeah, that's basically the whole idea of the bans. People will still get their fins, unless they live in a city/state/country that has possession of fins banned, they just won't be acquiring them through animal cruelty. Fishing of sharks in general is still an issue in itself that needs to be dealt with for a healthy ocean.[/QUOTE]
Well you could say its still cruel, because the sharks are still dying.
[QUOTE=Sgt-NiallR;38341433]Well you could say its still cruel, because the sharks are still dying.[/QUOTE]
Well yes, of course. Though it is significantly better than finning at sea. The thing about commercial fishing is, well, it's still hunting. All fish, unless it was farmed, is wild game. From a cruelty standpoint, it is not very mindful of the animals.
[QUOTE=OvB;38341594]Well yes, of course. Though it is significantly better than finning at sea. The thing about commercial fishing is, well, it's still hunting. All fish, unless it was farmed, is wild game. From a cruelty standpoint, it is not very mindful of the animals.[/QUOTE]
Just the whole idea of slicing off a shark's fin, causing immense pain and bleeding, then throwing the shark back to the water is just plain damn evil to me.
But fishing the entire shark and processing all of it for food, that's not so evil. We need that. But we don't need truck loads of shark fins as "exquisite, fine" food for some snobs.
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