# shark fin products banned



## mrobson (Mar 5, 2011)

Mississauga just passed a ban on shark fin products  hopefully more cities follow suit.


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

mrobson said:


> Mississauga just passed a ban on shark fin products  hopefully more cities follow suit.


Thank goodness, dont know if you heard, but the state of california just recently banned the sale of shark fin products and apparently that state alone made up 85% of the total U.S.A shark fin consumption. Its only a matter of time before many other places begin to follow. I am actually surprised, i did not think that major action would begin this quickly.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Yes I heard about this today, one of the worries was how it was policed but the gentleman on the radio said its basically only if they are reported, or get caught when they have their food safe check done. 

Should be a great thing


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## binhle (Sep 19, 2011)

I bet there're alot of happy sharks out there today. I've had shark fin soup before and I find it tasteless and very expensive. I'll take an 8oz Newyork anyday over the soup...medium rare please !!


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## adrenaline (Jan 17, 2011)

That's great news!!!! now they need to extend this to Markham. more specifically Pacific mall... The malls got some great deals, don't get me wrong here, but the amount of shark fin produts I see disgusts me...

They need to implement this worldwide if you ask me!


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

+1 shark fin soup is way too overrated. I heard that they just lop off the fins and toss the rest of the shark back in the water. That's disgusting.

Sent from my HTC Magic using Tapatalk


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

50seven said:


> +1 shark fin soup is way too overrated. I heard that they just lop off the fins and toss the rest of the shark back in the water. That's disgusting.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Magic using Tapatalk


it is...

even to a whale shark >.>

not sure if you guys seen this.... not for the faint hearted >.>'''


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

I doubt it can be implemented world wide. And despite all the things we are doing in North America and Europe. We only make up a very small percentage of the world comsumption. Compare to Asia, we won't even make a dent. But still, it's a good start. I don't have anything against eating shark fins. I just have an issue with the way inhumain way they are harvest and eating everything in the ocean to extinction. It's just stupid and careless.

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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

I am against the taking of the fins as it is inhumane. I wonder though how this will be handled when the fin is still attached to the whole shark... Sharks are a food source for many countries and readily available at many fish mongers in the GTA


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## zenafish (Feb 20, 2007)

This will be impossible to enforce. They are citing Animal Cruelty Act, so any convictions need to have proof that the fins are obtained unhumanely. 

For fishermen who fish sharks as part of the industry, it's no different from others who catch fish like salmon and cod.

Whoops...my mistake...just read it in the paper they changed their attitude and it's now citing Public Health due to mercury risk. But still, same principle...if you're banning shark fin because of mercury, then a whole lot other deep water fish should also make the list, like swordfish, salmon and tuna. Can't ban just one...that's hypocritical. Oh well, but then again, the province did manage to ban the pitbulls despite the fact that a problem golden retriever can be equally if not more nasty


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

i am not against it because they kill sharks, i eat other animals so its no different . But when you are bringing a species close to extinction, and risk the entire balance of an ecosystem thats where i personally have a problem. If the amount of sharks being killed each year was enough to keep their population sustainable, i would hardly have a problem with it.

also due to bio-amplification sharks have crazy high amounts of mercury. I also read that the fins are dipped in ammonia and hydrogen peroxide to disinfect them after they have been dried. I personally would never eat shark fin for those reasons alone


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## zenafish (Feb 20, 2007)

I think part of fin processing is bleaching, to get the skin tissues off.

If you're Asian and eat cow tripes or pig skin, they go through the same cleaning process to strip the linings off. If you eat jello or any product with gelatin, strong acid is used to dissolve the gelatin out of animal tissue. So once again...shark fin is not "special" in any of its own way.

However with that said, I AM against unsustainable collection from the environment. But isn't that what CITES is for (assuming it hasn't yet become just another layer of bureaucracy)?


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

zenafish said:


> ... However with that said, I AM against unsustainable collection from the environment. But isn't that what CITES is for (assuming it hasn't yet become just another layer of bureaucracy)?


I think CITES are mostly useful against collectors and individuals. When it comes to a nation or big corp., it's not as effective. But eliminating the source of demand, we can effectively stop the harvesting. It's like ivory. Still people illegally hunting elephants for their tusks, but it's no longer ludicrous.

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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

It all takes just one strong individual - http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=r65FgUYdBOc&gl=CA


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

The law is just stupid

It's ban on selling, keeping, and using shark fins, but not shark bones, skin and meat....

That still doesn't protect the sharks from the poachers


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## mousey (Mar 28, 2011)

The magazine Practical Fishkeeping reports that Costa Rica fishing vessels have gone into the marine reserve in Colombia and slaughtered the protected sharks for the fins. The Costa Rican gov't says it will fine any vessels it finds with shark fins. Big Wow!
I also wonder if the vessels were truly from Costa Rica or if they were only flying those flags to defer people away from the true country of origin.
Makes me mad when people do not give any respect to animal life and think people should have the whole planet to themselves.


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

bigfishy said:


> The law is just stupid
> 
> It's ban on selling, keeping, and using shark fins, but not shark bones, skin and meat....
> 
> That still doesn't protect the sharks from the poachers


but the meat is never in demand, thats why the sharks are tossed overboard after being finned. It does protect them from poachers as because the demand is decreasing. Being realistic, i know the amount of shark fins toronto consumes is nothing compared to the rest of the world, but it is the principle and the message. Whether people agree with it or not is their opinion.

either way, the ban was just passed today, and i hope some people feel the same way i do.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Shark meat is highly toxic. As is the meat of most or all of the oceans apex predators, dolphins for example.


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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

Will said:


> Shark meat is highly toxic. As is the meat of most or all of the oceans apex predators, dolphins for example.


Take a walk into any Caribbean grocery store that sells fish, you will find it readily available and in demand. You wouldnt want to eat large sharks, but the smaller ones are Fine.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Will said:


> Shark meat is highly toxic. As is the meat of most or all of the oceans apex predators, dolphins for example.


Not always, and people eat it anyways 

Also, tuna are apex predators, as are marlin, and swordfish - and don't we love them!!


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## cichlidspiro (May 11, 2011)

*Good news*

im am very happy to hear this i have been trying my best to learn more about the whole proccess but 1 thing i learned very quickly was that, how discusting this practice is, i understand it is a delicasy but it has no taste aswell as high percent of murcury that can eventuly kill a person


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

I dont care about the eating part of shark fins

but someday I want to own a Shark in an aquarium (at least a cat shark)

this law will make it impossible >..<


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

fury165 said:


> Take a walk into any Caribbean grocery store that sells fish, you will find it readily available and in demand. You wouldnt want to eat large sharks, but the smaller ones are Fine.





ameekplec. said:


> Not always, and people eat it anyways
> 
> Also, tuna are apex predators, as are marlin, and swordfish - and don't we love them!!


I didn't say *all* sharkmeat is toxic.  All sharks are finned but since it's sold by weight, bigger species can be targeted, and these bigger species tend to have toxic levels. Specifically I was mentioning the toxicity of shark meat in response to the comment;


> but the meat is never in demand, thats why the sharks are tossed overboard after being finned.


And yup, we eat a lot of things we shouldn't! Swordfish and sharks are among those. (Not only for the high ppm of mercury, but also because they are just not sustainably fishable) And canned Tuna is known for testing with very dangerous levels of murcury. Particularly light tuna meat.


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

bigfishy said:


> I dont care about the eating part of shark fins
> 
> but someday I want to own a Shark in an aquarium (at least a cat shark)
> 
> this law will make it impossible >..<


Ive seen alot of illegal fish for sale in the GTA, you could always get one and dont tell anyone if you want it that bad lol


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

I think the issue is that there has been zero effort by industry to show that sharkkfins can be harvested in a sustainable practice ie using the whole animal etc. Harvest limits etc. and municipal bans on the product are essentially meaningless other than as a token gesture until we have provincial and federal restrictions on the products like we do with other inapropriately harvested animal products.

Further, the public needs to be educated. Until the consumer market for the product doesnt exist, Those who cite various reasons ie cultural/religious etc for the product need to learn accountability about how a product is harvested. As long as the consumer doesnt care, there will always be a problem.


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## Ron (May 15, 2011)

I'm glad to see the ban, I hope it keeps spreading. Throughout my life I would see shark fin soup at family dinners several times a year. For the last couple of years, my wife and I would pass on the soup. My family has finally wised up and shark fin soup is no longer ordered.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Anyone who thinks a municipal ban on shark fins will do anything to curb demand is fooling themselves. The only effect these bans will have is that Chinese couples who want to have shark fins at their weddings will now hold their banquets in Richmond Hill or Markham instead.

The councillor who said that "banning only one item on the menu won't hurt businesses" has no clue what he's talking about.


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## Ron (May 15, 2011)

solarz said:


> Anyone who thinks a municipal ban on shark fins will do anything to curb demand is fooling themselves. The only effect these bans will have is that Chinese couples who want to have shark fins at their weddings will now hold their banquets in Richmond Hill or Markham instead.


I agree but it is a start. Hopefully it will eventually lead to a provincial ban and then a federal ban.

It could also raise awareness of the issues of the inhumane collection and the strain it is putting on the ecosystem. Older generations might not care but it may be enough to convince younger generations it isn't worth it just to "give face".

Ron


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## adrenaline (Jan 17, 2011)

I beg to differ. I think it's a step in the right direction. we have to start somewhere. this is being pushed on a provincial leve, and pressure is on to make it law on a federal level. Ignoring the problem and doing nothing about it does nothing. 

This is just a start. it will not affect the immediate threat to sharks, but it will reduce SOME of the demand. the problem is shark finning, not use of shark fins. If you kill an animal, it should be law to consume or use ALL parts of it, and not leave it to slowly die.

I am a huge fan of this new law. it's just a stepping stone to get things going in the right directions. it will take time, but i'm sure other countries will start to follow suit in time, thus drastically reducing a lot of the demand, and therefore reducing some of the finning taking place. 

once again, it is a START not a full on cease and desist order. people need to stop and think of it as that, a start. and hope the world takes notice and follows suit. I can easily forsee all of canada following suit within the next few years, as all the votes for banning the products were extremly heavy in favour of the ban.


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