Two tons of shark fins on Taiwanese boat

[Coventina]

Source: The Independent Online

A Taiwanese fishing vessel with nearly two tons of dried shark fins on board was seized at Cape Town harbour on Saturday.

The fins were confiscated by Department of Environmental Affairs inspectors and the skipper and crew of 26 face criminal charges for providing false information about their catch.

Carol Moses, spokesperson for Marine and Coastal Management (MCM), said it was clear the foreign-flagged vessel, the Chien Jui 102, had been finning. This practice involves hacking fins off live sharks and throwing them back into the sea where they either bleed to death or become prey for other sharks.

The organisation World Conservation estimates that finning causes the death of tens of millions of sharks worldwide each year.


Read more: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20090315062359249C428822

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Disgusting. nt

[WriteDown]

2. I have never been impressed with some Asian nation's

treatment of the oceans including their tendency to over-fish or whale. Neither am I impressed with their treatment of reptiles and amphibians.

[FreakinDJ]

8. You forgot Tigers

Nearly completely wiped out because some one thinks it has "Aphrodisiac" qualities

[WriteDown]

9. And rhinos...

The list goes on and on.

[FreakinDJ]

11. Its just disgusting

[pennylane100]

13. but do they shoot live animals from helicopters.

[WriteDown]

14. Apples and orangles....

Nice try on the non-sequitor though.

[progdonkey]

18. please...

While that is awful, it's nowhere near as horrific as trapping an animal solely to injure and mutilate it and then leaving it to die/be killed, simply because you think that part of the animal will enlarge your tiny penis.

Not to mention that you're displaying an astounding cluelessness by writing that on a Democratic forum--as though even a measurable minority of people here are in favor of wanton hunting of animals from helicopters. :eyes:

[jberryhill]

29. Big Pharma is "suppressing their traditional medicines" /nt

[flvegan]

3. As part of the punishment, seize or sink the boat.

When jail time is done, let 'em swim back.

[Brother Buzz]

15. let 'em swim back after you lop off all the appendages

You know what I mean, Vern?

[DS1]

17. put the jail on the boat

then sink it

[Cass]

4. This is a horrific practice and I am glad this bunch were caught. nt

[Baclava]

5. The killer ape will eat anything.

Insatiable.

And the more they eat the more they breed.

[RC]

10. Absolutely

A most arrogant species.

[provis99]

6. so are shark fins an aphrodisiac?

Asian guys must really have a tough time keeping it up, considering they are the world's largest consumers of shark fins, bear balls, and other assorted rare animal parts in the quest for a hard-on.

[jpak]

20. Nope - they are used for shark fin soup, which is an expensive delicacy in Asian restaurants.

...and it's the cartilaginous part of the fin that is used...

[Politicalboi]

7. I say we make all the

Taiwanese in this story Bob. Just cut off their limbs and let them bob in the water. Fuckers. Too bad they're boat didn't capsize into the bloody waters. This kind of shit should be illegal.

[spanone]

12. .

:mad: :puke:

[Thor_MN]

16. Couldn't just gring up some Viagra into cow dung and sell it to them as Magic Boner powder?

[MADem]

19. All the shark fin in the world isn't gonna turn a cocktail weenie into a kielbasa.

They'd be better off working on their personalities.....

[Barrett808]

21. Watch Sharkwater to see the Taiwanese fishing mafia exposed:

http://www.sharkwater.com

[HysteryDiagnosis]

22. And I'll bet it didn't maneuver a bit better.... bastards. n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

23. when two tons are just the fins, imagine how much damage they did - this, just one boat

and now, the price for shark fin will go up, and MORE people will see it as lucrative to try.

sad cycle here

[disndat]

24. Environmental groups like Greenpeace

and Peta have successfully brought attention to whale and baby seal slaughter, I wish one of these group could bring more public attention to this gruesome shark slaughtering. Shark fin soup is served as a display of conspicuous lavish consumption, not as used as aphrodisiac. 60 Minutes did a segment on this cruel fishing as they did on the fishing of the rapidly disappearing Blue Fin Tuna.

[ConcernedCanuk]

25. White man USAmericans slaughtered millions of Bison/Buffalo for their TONGUES

.
.
.

USA has lost moral ground to complain about anyone else's transgressions

And as much as the Taiwanese habit of cutting the fins of of sharks is disgusting

Don't forget how the USAmericans slaughtered the natives of the USA

Don't forget . .

.

[WriteDown]

26. I am one of those "Natives"

Although, I can't say the the treatment these days is "great," I can say that what you are talking about happened over a century ago. By your logic, I guess we can't complain about anything. Female circumcision: go for it. Subjugation of women: go for it.

[ConcernedCanuk]

27. Damm - I thought I had you on ignore

.
.
.

. . . :freak:

[Veruca Salt]

33. You're comparing slaughter that happened

over a hundred years ago with slaughter that is happening now. Also, thankfully we had people who protected the bison so they are still here today:

http://www.nps.gov/thro/naturescience/bison-buffalo.htm

If not for the foresight of a few individuals including Theodore Roosevelt, the American bison could have become extinct. Warnings and attempts to protect the bison came as early as 1776, but it was not until 1894 that the first federal legislation protecting these animals was enacted. Killing of bison became punishable by a $1000.00 fine or imprisonment, and the law was strictly enforced. Prior to this legislation, a small herd did exist in Yellowstone National Park, but was not protected against poaching. There were also several small herds owned by private individuals. With passage of the bison protection law, game preserves were established that ensured their survival. Today, more than 250,000 bison live in North American in both public and private ownership.

The same can be said for our Mustangs, though with more recent laws:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustang_(horse)

By 1900 North America had an estimated two million free-roaming horses.<6> Since 1900, the Mustang population has been reduced drastically. Mustangs were viewed as a resource that could be captured and used or sold (especially for military use) or slaughtered for food, especially pet food. The controversial practice of mustanging was dramatized in the John Huston film The Misfits, and the abuses linked to certain capture methods, including hunting from airplanes and poisoning, led to the first federal wild free-roaming horse protection law in 1959.<8> Protection was increased further by the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971

It kills me to think that it would have been possible for either of these magnificent creatures to become extinct. Luckily both were protected and we still have them today.

As it stands, and in relation to the article - I watched a show on the Blue Whales on National Geographic recently and these whales, notably an endangered species who were banned from being hunted by the IWC, still show up in asian markets. I think it's one of the reasons I root so much for the anti-whaling vessel the Steve Irwin, because even though their tactics may be frowned upon by some, sometimes the situation calls for such measures.

We can't just look back at our past and say, "well we did it in the 1800's and 1900's to the bison and mustang so they can do it to sharks and whales now". Sorry, 'we' didn't do it. The 'we' who did it are dead and gone and the 'we' I would much rather associate with protected these animals for future generations to admire. The 'we' I'll associate with in regards to the sharks and whales are those same type of people out there fighting to protect them and anyone that tries to make excuses or promote the slaughter of these animals deserves nothing but scorn.

[Bonobo]

28. The Racism and Sexism on this thread is disgusting.

These fishermen's greed is more characteristic of human behavior than it is indicative of "Asian" behavior or "Small Penis Syndrome".

Can't you posters be more clear on your objections?

Is it because you hate Chinks? Is it because you hate men? Is it because you hate small dicks?

Or

"This practice involves hacking fins off live sharks and throwing them back into the sea where they either bleed to death or become prey for other sharks."

So would it be acceptable if they ate the rest of the shark? Are these sharks used endangered? Do you feel that people should only eat what YOU eat?, etc, etc.

I am just trying to see if anyone who responded with their lightning quick "Let's sink them" responses actually had done any thinking beyond that.

In my opinion, many of you sound like stupid, racist freepers with your own "issues".

[RebelOne]

30. What is wrong with you?

The whole point is that the sharks are being harvested for their fins and then being thrown back into the sea to die. Total animal cruelty!!!!

[Bonobo]

31. So if they were eaten more fully, it would be okay then, right? nt

[Sultana]

32. Sick fucks

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

God save the animals from all the crazy/sick poachers!