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In deep trouble
Frequently asked questions
Did you know?
Dangerous to know?
Endangered Sharks
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Sharks - frequently asked questions
Right now, sharks are being caught and killed faster than they can reproduce. Bite-Back is committed to removing demand for shark products in restaurants, fishmongers and retailers, encouraging an end to the needless slaughter of sharks.
For once, everyday consumers in the UK can contribute to the environmental and political debate by simply voting with their wallets - and it won't cost a thing.
If you don't buy shark products, then establishments will be encouraged to stop selling shark products. Not only are we the cause of the problem, we are the cure. We have the ability to reverse this catastrophic situation.
To understand more, please read on…
Why are sharks facing extinction?
Like humans, sharks have evolved with very few predators. And, just like humans, most large sharks do not become sexually mature until late in life, have few offspring and live for tens of years. When you slaughter a species more quickly than it can reproduce then it will nose-dive towards extinction.
Which countries are fishing for shark?
The major shark fishing nations of the world include Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, the UK and the United States. These nations each reported nominal catches of 10,000 tonnes per annum, whereas the facts would indicate the figure is more likely in excess of 44,000 tonnes - this suggests that more than 26 million sharks are caught and go unrecorded every year.
How are the sharks caught?
Longline fishing is one of the largest contributors to sharks getting caught as a by-catch of tuna and swordfish. Longline fishing involves anchoring a line horizontally (up to 30 miles long) or vertically to the seabed with as many as 40,000 baited hooks. The line is set, marked by buoys and left for the ship to return. This indiscriminate fishing practice regularly results in the needless slaughter of thousands of sharks, turtles and seabirds.
What does 'finning' mean?
In brutally simplistic terms, sharks are hauled out of the sea by fishermen who then systematically slice off the dorsal and pectoral fins from the living creature before removing the tail. Then the viscously and fatally wounded shark is thrown overboard to die.
Why don't fishermen bring the whole shark back to market? Comparatively, shark meat does not fetch much money at market. Often fishermen are trawling or long-lining for tuna and hook shark as a by-catch. This 'prize fish' is simply separated from its valuable fins - leaving room onboard for whole tuna and swordfish that fetch a good price at market.
How long can sharks sustain this level of fishing?
It is unknown how long the shark population will survive. Currently there are 18 species of shark on the Endangered Red List. Last year there were 11 species. With fishing techniques becoming more sophisticated and the demand for fins and meat at unprecedented levels, some species are rapidly moving towards extinction.
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Paradoxically, the extremely high levels of mercury in shark fin can leave a man infertile.
Only seven species of shark are known to have attacked humans.
Originally, shark fin soup was a delicacy sampled only in high society.
It is unknown how long the shark population will survive.
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Are any sharks protected internationally?
Right now, no sharks are protected internationally. Only a handful of countries manage shark fisheries.
Which sharks are most endangered?
Ganges shark; Borneo shark; Basking shark; Speartooth shark; Whitefin Topeshark; Angular Angel shark; Smoothback Angel shark; Spinner shark; Pondicherry shark; Smoothtooth Blacktip shark; Blacktip shark; Dusky shark; Grey Nurse shark; Great White shark; Gulper shark; Basking shark; Tope shark; Bluegray Carpetshark; Porbeagle shark; Whale shark.
Two of these sharks - Tope and Porbeagle - are caught in British coastal waters.
Isn't the Far East community to blame?
It is fair to argue that more shark is consumed by the Chinese and Japanese community than by those in the western world, however the growth in consumption of shark products throughout the world - served as a delicacy such as shark fin soup or a curiosity dish - is on the increase. Bite-Back is committed to eliminating all shark consumption in the UK regardless of the type of restaurant, fishmonger or retailer.
Why is shark fin soup so special?
Originally, shark fin soup was a delicacy sampled only in high society. As a result shark fin soup rapidly earned a reputation as a dish with true cachet - a way of flaunting wealth and status. With the growing affluence in Asia, ten of thousands of new consumers have aspired to join the ranks of the elite, ordering shark fin soup whenever possible. This has led to a massive rise in demand. Ironically, now that sharks stocks are depleted, this increasingly rare creature has become even more expensive and therefore holds even more cachet.
What does shark fin soup taste like?
Shark fin itself can't taste very nice since chefs use a chicken stock to remove or, depending on your point of view, add flavour to the dish.
Is shark fin an aphrodisiac?
Just like there is no scientific proof that rhino horn, tiger's penis or bear's gall-bladder serum have aphrodisiac properties, shark fin has no known or proven ingredients to improve your sex life. Paradoxically, the extremely high levels of mercury in shark fin can leave a man infertile. In the last few months The UK Food Standards Agency warned that the levels of mercury found in sharks, marlin and swordfish can pose a danger to health. The agency has advised pregnant women and children to avoid eating the three species. Sharks, swordfish and marlin are at the top of the food chain, and absorb the mercury contamination from the smaller fish they eat. Mercury is a neurotoxin which destroys healthy cells and can disrupt the nervous system.
Shouldn't restaurants be allowed to serve shark?
Yes, if the sharks are caught from sustainable fisheries. But the Bite-Back message is straight forward for restaurateurs and restaurant-goers alike. Learn the truth about the potential extinction of sharks, learn about the abhorrent practice of shark fishing and finning and THEN make a choice.
We don't eat much shark in the UK, do we?
Last year alone, UK fishermen landed 760 tonnes of shark with a market value of £631,000. In the same year, the UK imported an additional 2,530 tonnes (equivalent to approximately 632 lorries) worth more than £3,532,000. All data prepared by Accounts and Trade, Statistics (Commodities & Food), ESD, DEFRA
Surely the only good shark is a dead one?
Without sharks the ocean would be an entirely different place. Sharks serve an ecological purpose that helps maintaining a healthy balance underwater. To understand the role of sharks, it is more accurate to regard them as 'culling machines' rather than 'killing machines', just like other apex predators such as lions and tigers. Are all sharks dangerous to humans? Only seven species of shark are known to have attacked humans. These are the Bull, Tiger, Oceanic White Tip, Great White, Blue, Galapagos and Mako. Of all reported attacks only 1% are fatal. Usually, a shark attack is the result of mistaken identity - the shark believing a swimmer, diver or surfer is natural prey, such as a turtle or seal - and that's why, often after one bite, the victim is rejected by the shark. Remember, more people die every year from bee stings, dog bites, falling coconuts and lightening strikes.
So what if they become extinct?
The depletion or removal of sharks from the ocean may lead to increases or declines in other species, with unpredictable consequences for ecosystems. Sharks maintain the 'genetic fitness' of their prey by removing the sick and the weak and help keep population sizes in check. When marine biologists used complex computer programmes to predict the consequences of the removal of the tiger shark from the Hawaiian Reefs they witnessed the increase in the number of reef sharks, turtles, bottom fish and seabirds. What they didn't expect to see was the 'total and rapid crash in the abundance of tuna and jacks'. This was explained by the proliferation of seabirds - prey to the tiger shark - but predator to the tuna and jacks.
Do sharks hold the cure to cancer?
No. Contrary to popular belief sharks do get cancer. John Coffey a cancer biologist at John Hopkins University succinctly said: "I don't think there is any benefit to buying shark cartilage and eating it [as an anti-carcinogenic], any more than I think that eating rabbit will make me run faster."
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