Shark Fins
Should we eat sharks’ fins?
Shark’s fin soup is a delicacy which is enjoyed by many people around the world, especially the Chinese as they believe that it symbolizes wealth, honour and respect. However, the practice of cutting off sharks’ fins alive and then throwing them back into the sea had caused increasing awareness and ire of animal rights and environment advocates. Statistics have estimated that one hundred million sharks are killed every year, not considering the fact that these numbers are still increasing. In my personal viewpoint, I feel that sharks’ fins should not be consumed due to ethical, environmental and health issues.
It is immorally incorrect to cut off sharks’ fins alive and then throwing them back into the sea. By doing so, we are inflicting excruciating pain and suffering to the sharks. Science research has shown that there is actually in fact no great biological divide between humans and animals. Darwin demonstrated how animals and humans are clearly linked through evolutionary continuity and recent research has even shown that similar nervous systems as humans and respond to pain like we do. It is highly inhumane and cruel to slaughter sharks in such a way that they have to experience so much agony just for the sake of our desires and craves. There is no reason for the very fact of humanity’s superiority over other animals means we have the reason to exploit other species. It is only reasonable for us to leave sharks alone when they have not caused much harm to us in any way. Since it is incorrect for us to kill sharks, we should deter ourselves from craving for sharks’ fins.
Additionally, by killing such a great number of sharks would lead to environmental issues. One of the impacts would be the imminent extinction of the shark species. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 143 shark species which is over 55 percent of the shark species are facing a high risk of extinction either now or in the
Shark’s fin soup is a delicacy which is enjoyed by many people around the world, especially the Chinese as they believe that it symbolizes wealth, honour and respect. However, the practice of cutting off sharks’ fins alive and then throwing them back into the sea had caused increasing awareness and ire of animal rights and environment advocates. Statistics have estimated that one hundred million sharks are killed every year, not considering the fact that these numbers are still increasing. In my personal viewpoint, I feel that sharks’ fins should not be consumed due to ethical, environmental and health issues.
It is immorally incorrect to cut off sharks’ fins alive and then throwing them back into the sea. By doing so, we are inflicting excruciating pain and suffering to the sharks. Science research has shown that there is actually in fact no great biological divide between humans and animals. Darwin demonstrated how animals and humans are clearly linked through evolutionary continuity and recent research has even shown that similar nervous systems as humans and respond to pain like we do. It is highly inhumane and cruel to slaughter sharks in such a way that they have to experience so much agony just for the sake of our desires and craves. There is no reason for the very fact of humanity’s superiority over other animals means we have the reason to exploit other species. It is only reasonable for us to leave sharks alone when they have not caused much harm to us in any way. Since it is incorrect for us to kill sharks, we should deter ourselves from craving for sharks’ fins.
Additionally, by killing such a great number of sharks would lead to environmental issues. One of the impacts would be the imminent extinction of the shark species. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 143 shark species which is over 55 percent of the shark species are facing a high risk of extinction either now or in the