A Tradition That Must End

Shark fin soup is still considered a delicacy in many parts of Asia. It is an expensive dish served at banquets, wedding receptions and other large gatherings. This extreme demand for shark fins is estimated to cause the death of more than 70 million sharks each year. Oceanic whitetip sharks are endangered in large part because of the demand for fins. Each year, more than 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed.

Shark finning is a cruel and brutal practice: A shark's fins are shopped off and their bodies are thrown back into the water. Without fins, these sharks are unable to swim, and they die from blood loss, shock or starvation, or they are eaten by other fish.