Sunday, September 16, 2007

Knowledge I Wish I Didn't Have ...

... But I saw it with my own eyes this evening while watching a documentary: to make shark fin soup they often catch a shark, haul it up on the boat deck, cut off its fins while the shark is still alive and then they toss the shark - still alive - back into the ocean, where it sinks to the bottom because it is unable to swim. The people who do this are called "finners".

I sat in front of the television with my hands at my mouth in horror as I watched finners do exactly what I have just described.

I have three things to say:

1. I have never had shark fin soup - in fact, I had not heard of it before today - and now I will never try it.

2. I acknowledge that not all sharks are finned alive and used for no other purpose. However, even one shark being finned alive is too many.

3. To the live finners: may you someday meet an equal end to your lives. Assholes.


6 comments:

Someonect said...

i saw the same documentary yesterday (i think). very disturbing.

Pieces of Mind said...

That is just... cruel.

And all so someone can enjoy a so-called culinary delicacy for a few minutes.

Anonymous said...

One of my Australian friends told me recently that in Canada they go around clubbing seals... I said no that's not right.. but is it?

Midwife with a Knife said...

I agree. I'd heard about it before, and it's why I wouldn't try shark's fin soup when I lived in southeast asia. I'd have no problem if the shark were caught and more of it were used, or at least if it were dispatched a bit more humanely...

But, for heaven's sake...

Gregory House, PA-C said...

60 Minutes? Otherwise, 60 Minutes did the same exact story last Sunday. That's so weird because I haven't watched 60 Minutes in a while

I would never have shark fin soup because of this, but it didn't look like I would ever be able to afford it.

Gregory House, PA-C said...

so your advice has been too good and now I look for more. hit up the site, thnx