Say No to Shark Fin
73 million sharks are killed every year, primarily for their fins.
Sharks in the Seas. Not in the Soup.
Sharks are harvested worldwide, sometimes for their meat, but more often for the lucrative fin trade centred in Asia. Shark finning is largely unregulated and many shark species are overfished, pushing them to the brink of extinction. Whether you are an individual consumer, company or restaurant owner, you can help save the sharks by stopping consumption or sale of shark fin.
73 million sharks are killed every year, primarily for their fins. As a result, an increasing number of shark species is been threatened. In 1996 only 15 shark and related species were considered threatened. This has soared by 12 times in over a decade and by 2010 over 180 species were considered threatened, being listed either on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, or the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Sharks are particularly vulnerable to over-exploitation because they are slow-growing, mature at a late age, and have relatively low productivity. This means that their populations are slow to recover once overfished.
The high market demand for shark fin is currently the main driver of unsustainable fishing for sharks globally. Shark fin soup has long been a tradition at Chinese festive celebrations and wedding banquets. But growing demand of shark fin soup is pushing our sharks to extinction.
As a top predator in the food chain, sharks feed on fishes which in turn feed on smaller fishes or plankton. When sharks become extinct, this irreversible change will cause populations of other fishes to go unchecked, exhausting the supply at the start of the food chain. Soon, fish stocks that are essential to our survival will be depleted.
By removing large numbers of these top predators from our seas, it destabilizes the whole ecosystem and has a detrimental effect on the marine environment and our fish stocks.
Singapore is the second largest shark fin trading nation. Unfortunately, we are not aware of any shark fisheries that are sustainably managed. Given the critical situation facing our sharks, we recommend for the Singapore public to stop consumption of shark fin and other shark products.
Join us to Save Our Sharks
As an individual consumer: Take the Pledge. Say No to Shark Fin!
As a company or F&B outlet: Stop buying and selling shark fin and other shark products.
Sharks are particularly vulnerable to over-exploitation because they are slow-growing, mature at a late age, and have relatively low productivity. This means that their populations are slow to recover once overfished.
The high market demand for shark fin is currently the main driver of unsustainable fishing for sharks globally. Shark fin soup has long been a tradition at Chinese festive celebrations and wedding banquets. But growing demand of shark fin soup is pushing our sharks to extinction.
As a top predator in the food chain, sharks feed on fishes which in turn feed on smaller fishes or plankton. When sharks become extinct, this irreversible change will cause populations of other fishes to go unchecked, exhausting the supply at the start of the food chain. Soon, fish stocks that are essential to our survival will be depleted.
By removing large numbers of these top predators from our seas, it destabilizes the whole ecosystem and has a detrimental effect on the marine environment and our fish stocks.
Singapore is the second largest shark fin trading nation. Unfortunately, we are not aware of any shark fisheries that are sustainably managed. Given the critical situation facing our sharks, we recommend for the Singapore public to stop consumption of shark fin and other shark products.
Join us to Save Our Sharks
As an individual consumer: Take the Pledge. Say No to Shark Fin!
As a company or F&B outlet: Stop buying and selling shark fin and other shark products.
Removing shark's fin from the menu
Letter from WWF Singapore to Straits Times Forum
I commend the Straits Times for highlighting an issue that has become one of the most critical threats to the sustainability of our oceans' fishes ("Shark's fin still on menu for many"; Nov 26).
Through our awareness campaign, Save our Sharks, more than 15,000 consumers have pledged not to consume shark's fin.
The demand for shark's fin in Asia is driving sharks to the brink of extinction. In 1996, only 15 species were considered threatened. By last year, the number had soared 12 times, with more than 180 species listed on the endangered list. The real cost goes beyond the survival of sharks. Sharks play a pivotal role in securing the marine eco-balance, tying our fate closely to theirs.
When sharks become extinct, this irreversible change will cause populations of other fishes to go unchecked, exhuasting the supply at the start of the food chain. Soon, other fish stocks that are essential to our survivial will be depleted.
Both the supply and demand ends of the chain are vital links in preventing the bankruptcy of our oceans. We appluad businesses like Cold Storage and the Peninsula Hotel Group, which have taken the lead to ban shark's fin.
The change in mindset remains the biggest challenge, especially among the Chinese who perceive shark's fin soup as deeply rooted in tradition.
Keeping this tradition has come at the expense of our planet. If we continue to ignore the signs, even the very tradition we are trying to upkeep will meet its end. Let us consider the long-and not short-term cost.
After all, is it worth giving up the ocean for a single fish?
Elain Tan (Ms)
Chief Executive Officer
WWF Singapore
Published on 9 Dec 2011
Through our awareness campaign, Save our Sharks, more than 15,000 consumers have pledged not to consume shark's fin.
The demand for shark's fin in Asia is driving sharks to the brink of extinction. In 1996, only 15 species were considered threatened. By last year, the number had soared 12 times, with more than 180 species listed on the endangered list. The real cost goes beyond the survival of sharks. Sharks play a pivotal role in securing the marine eco-balance, tying our fate closely to theirs.
When sharks become extinct, this irreversible change will cause populations of other fishes to go unchecked, exhuasting the supply at the start of the food chain. Soon, other fish stocks that are essential to our survivial will be depleted.
Both the supply and demand ends of the chain are vital links in preventing the bankruptcy of our oceans. We appluad businesses like Cold Storage and the Peninsula Hotel Group, which have taken the lead to ban shark's fin.
The change in mindset remains the biggest challenge, especially among the Chinese who perceive shark's fin soup as deeply rooted in tradition.
Keeping this tradition has come at the expense of our planet. If we continue to ignore the signs, even the very tradition we are trying to upkeep will meet its end. Let us consider the long-and not short-term cost.
After all, is it worth giving up the ocean for a single fish?
Elain Tan (Ms)
Chief Executive Officer
WWF Singapore
Published on 9 Dec 2011
Silky shark caught by the fin on an illegal longline hook.
This scalloped hammerhead shark is finned alive and thrown overboard to drown.
Say No to Shark Fin