Ethical issues
In considering the ethical dilemma facing the matter of Shark finning; the counter argument of concern over an animal’s wellbeing above that of persons, is an often mentioned. This argument plays on the belief that such a ban is inconsiderate to the fisherman whose livelihoods may depend upon the income generated from such a trade. In considering the ethics behind questioning this trade one should not believe that the benefit to people is ignored by the suggestion of effectively banning Shark Finning. Instead the banning of such a trade works towards the immediate benefit of all as well as the long term benefit of the perpetuating Fisherman who practice in this illicit act. As Mahatma Gandhi once stated “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.” If we as a people are to consider ourselves great than we mustn’t ignore our capacity of compassion in which we can impart on those beings which are the most fragile and vulnerable to the modernization of our world. Sharks in large part are popularly perceived as vicious and cruel animals that are burdensome. The popularization of this perspective has been made possible by the production and viewing of such films as Jaws. In reality Sharks are in fact Ocean beasts that play an important role in our Oceans Ecosystems which serve to our direct benefit, and in fact rarely attack people. Regardless of their utility in aiding our comfort, one has to question the ethics behind such a cruel and self-destructive practice such as Shark finning which has become so rampant in our Oceans.
Like the skinning of the American Buffalo which was rampant in the 19th Century American West, the Finning of Sharks is a practice of illicit commercial fishing which is done with absolutely no regard to the possible utility of the rest of the Sharks flesh for the betterment of the lives of any individual whether they are sentient or not. Shark finning is practiced in the form where once a Shark is captured the monetarily valuable fin of the Shark is removed and the rest of the living organism is simply disposed of and released back to the Ocean’s in which it has absolutely no hopes of survival, thus leaving the poor beast to suffer a slow and hopeless death. The reasoning behind justifying such an action derives from the belief of the fisherman who perpetuates such an action to view the Shark as a Common Stock Public Good, to whom its very existence is intended to solely aid the comfort of the first person who takes advantage of such a resource. This is possible because the Oceans are indeed not held as private property and instead are held in commons by all. This lack of clearly defined rights, as well as an unwillingness of various nations to penalize such acts, has resulted in a wasteful fishing culture of death and cruelty.
Various treaties and agreements such as the Law of the Sea Treaty have previously stipulated that such practices are banned and illegal by all signatory nations such as Japan which still remains one of the largest perpetrators of this illicit act. Since the law of Nation States is ignored and the law of private property is incapable of being adhered to, the only remaining course for a quick and practical solution remains a change in consciousness brought about by greater education. Already many private Non-Governmental Organizations have taken it upon themselves to enforce the laws that governments are either unwilling or incapable of enforcing themselves. They have taken it upon themselves to risk both their fortune and at times their very lives so as to ensure that we in the civilized world do not forsake the greatness that we are capable of.
Like the skinning of the American Buffalo which was rampant in the 19th Century American West, the Finning of Sharks is a practice of illicit commercial fishing which is done with absolutely no regard to the possible utility of the rest of the Sharks flesh for the betterment of the lives of any individual whether they are sentient or not. Shark finning is practiced in the form where once a Shark is captured the monetarily valuable fin of the Shark is removed and the rest of the living organism is simply disposed of and released back to the Ocean’s in which it has absolutely no hopes of survival, thus leaving the poor beast to suffer a slow and hopeless death. The reasoning behind justifying such an action derives from the belief of the fisherman who perpetuates such an action to view the Shark as a Common Stock Public Good, to whom its very existence is intended to solely aid the comfort of the first person who takes advantage of such a resource. This is possible because the Oceans are indeed not held as private property and instead are held in commons by all. This lack of clearly defined rights, as well as an unwillingness of various nations to penalize such acts, has resulted in a wasteful fishing culture of death and cruelty.
Various treaties and agreements such as the Law of the Sea Treaty have previously stipulated that such practices are banned and illegal by all signatory nations such as Japan which still remains one of the largest perpetrators of this illicit act. Since the law of Nation States is ignored and the law of private property is incapable of being adhered to, the only remaining course for a quick and practical solution remains a change in consciousness brought about by greater education. Already many private Non-Governmental Organizations have taken it upon themselves to enforce the laws that governments are either unwilling or incapable of enforcing themselves. They have taken it upon themselves to risk both their fortune and at times their very lives so as to ensure that we in the civilized world do not forsake the greatness that we are capable of.