EliotF's Blog
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Finning
- Posted on 09.10.09
As the overlord for the Long Beach Marine Institute, I teach people of all ages about ocean ecosystems and animals with a strong focus on conservation. We run our main programs out of the Long Beach Harbor which, if you've ever been to Long Beach, you know, isn't the cleanest water. But recent laws concerning the lowering of pollution have allowed this unique environment to reestablish its self. In the past five years there has been more animals that have grown larger. It feels like what I've dedicated my life to is finally showing some results.
But its not enough.
This summer, as part of our day camp program, we put the kids on our boat, the R/V Challenger, and take them to the break wall, dragging an otter trawl net behind us to collect animals and teach the kids about how they interact with their environment. Along with the catch, we pulled up a bat ray, which isn't anything to twist your panties over. However, this bat ray was missing something...its pectoral fins.
I think I should explain myself and why this sticks me. Sharks are my third favorite animal. The first are squirrels cause they are bloody funny. You look me strait in the face right now and tell me you don't laugh when you see a squirrel then your probably Michael Vick. The second is a bear. Cats are a domesticated form of lions and tigers. Dogs are the same but with wolves and coyotes. There is no such thing as a domesticated bear. They will eat you and your family and steal your wallet and punch you in the throat and call the cops and tell them it was your fault.
But sharks are what I did when I was a kid. When I was growing up, I didn't play video games, I read about sharks. I didn't have pogs. I had sharks. Aside from Thunder Cats, I only watched TV when sharks were involved.
So seeing this ray with its fins removed, its innards strewn about the deck, its skin half rotted away, I could only think about how long and horrible this animal suffered before it finally died. Fishermen illegally practice something called finning. This is when an live animal, such as a shark or a ray, is pulled from the water and has its fins (all 8 on sharks and just the 2 on rays) removed from its body by a knife or scissors. The animal, still alive, is discarded and left to bleed to death. The fins are used for human consumption.
The fins were most likely used as a cheap substitute for scallops. This has host of its own problems. Containing high concentrations of mercury and other heavy metals, the fins of sharks and rays, when consumed, can cause infertility, impotency, birth defects and heart disease to name a few.
So no matter how you look at it, the situation is shitty. My heart broke that day. I realized that this type of work is never done. So I don't stop and I don't expect you to either. You have eyes; open them. You have a voice; scream till you're hoarse. You have fists; fight for what you believe in.
Related causes: Animals
Aww Eliot this was soo sweet! If that makes any sense. Well I almost cried.
You should get somebody to proof read this baby next time though. This is a cool little website I like it.