Sharks: From Predator to Prey
Every year an estimated 100 million sharks are killed for the sole purpose of their fins. When sharks are caught, the fishermen who make the catch will often practice what is known as shark finning. In this practice, a fisherman will haul the shark onto the boat, cut off the shark’s fins, and toss the shark back into the water. Tossing the shark back into the water is mainly done due to the value of the shark fin being worth much more than the rest of the shark’s body. Shark fins are often used in the making of shark fin soup which gives the fins a value of up to $500 a pound, despite the fact that the shark fin doesn’t actually have any taste to it or add any nutritional value. Bowl of Shark Fin Soup Smithsonian Ocean This…