Earlier this month a debate took place for a ban in Toronto about the possession and consumption of shark fins. A common point in the debate was the inhumanity and unsustainability of the shark population. The licensing and standards committee of Toronto held a vote unanimously for the ban, and, at the end of October, the city council will make the final decision.

The shark finning has been banned for years in Canada but there was not a single rule against the possession of shark fins until May when Brantford, Ontario made that illegal as well. Counsellors Kristyn Wong-Tam and Glenn De Baeremaeker have been fighting for this ban in Toronto, hoping that once Canada’s largest city takes a stand the rest of Canada will follow suit.

With the growing popularity of this ban, many in Toronto’s Chinese community feel that they could be have been alienated by the rest of Toronto because of their culture.  Shark fin soup originated in the Ming dynasty and is eaten during weddings, Chinese New Year celebrations, and at other important events. They have asked for this ban to be considered a global issue not a cultural one. Sharks are being fished and consumed around the world by a series of different cultures; they are fished because of high revenue associated and eaten to show wealth.

Many complain that the Toronto Counsellors just want more face time and are trying to make Toronto feel good by stating that Toronto hardly makes a dent in the yearly consumption of shark fins. They say that it wouldn’t make a difference. Isn’t the exact opposite of that been jammed into our minds for that past few years? Haven’t we been told that every small step helps? That even just remembering to turn off the light when we leave the room will help the world, just as long as we all do it. To me, this ban seems a lot bigger than turning off the lights. We may just be Toronto but if this ban passes, it could be an incentive for the rest of Canada to ban it as well.

 Shark finning is a huge problem all around the world and even though Toronto may not be a large part of the problem, we may soon have the chance play a large part in the solution.

Lauren D’Angelo

We’ve all heard about it.  Many of us thought it sounded disgusting and tried to erase the thoughts from our minds.  Other’s stomach’s growled.  Most of us couldn’t be bothered to give it too much thought.  But we need to consider to the thousands of sharks that are slaughtered to produce shark fin soup, which was recently banned from the City of Toronto.

This expensive traditional Chinese delicacy isn’t cheap – the soup can cost as much as $100 per bowl.  It’s often served at Chinese weddings, though now many people serve it more out of tradition and for “grandma and older aunts and uncles,” says Karen Sun, the former executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto chapter.  Her wedding is scheduled for this May and says that this soup will not be served. 

Shark finning is one of the leading reasons for the diminishing number of sharks around the world; it is believed that over 70 million sharks are killed every year just for shark fin soup broth.  Because records of the sharks are rarely kept, and even then are sketchy, it is impossible to know just how many sharks are being killed.  The common method of getting these shark fins is brutal.  The process, known as ‘finning,’ involves violently slicing off the sharks’ fins, and throwing the live, fin-less, bleeding shark back into the ocean.  There they are left to either by eaten by other fish, drown, or starve to death. 

Because of this brutal practice, many species of sharks are on the brink of extinction.  Since the 1970’s, multiple species of sharks have declined by 95%.  And yet, because this industry is such a money-maker, there is little being done to protect these animals.  And we’re talking about a species that has been around since the dinosaurs. 

Whatever happened to protecting animals from animal cruelty?  The world cries out against a lady for stuffing a cat in a garbage can in August 2010, but we do little to help these ancient creatures escape a long, bloody, painful death.  People don’t even use the entire shark – they cut off the fins and then dump the rest of the shark back in the water because the shark’s meat isn’t valuable enough.  These sharks are being mutilated and left to die.  These sharks are being killed in vast numbers that nobody can calculate because of cover-ups and lies.  These sharks are being cruelly killed just for a bowl of soup. 

The ban on shark fin soup has already been put in place in other cities in Ontario, such as Mississauga, Oakville and Brantford.  States in the US including California, Oregon and Hawaii, and several other countries have also banned shark fins.  Why shouldn’t all of Canada join them?  Though it is illegal to fish for sharks in Canada, and has been since 1993, there is no law against these fins being sold in the Canadian market.  And sharks’ fins are readily available right here in our own city.

Banning the fins from Toronto might not help reduce the number of sharks killed every year, as those who really want the delicacy could get it out in the suburbs or neighbouring cities. However, it might stop those who are only getting the soup for grandma’s sake and make people think twice about their intentions.  Banning the sale of sharks’ fins in Toronto and throughout Canada is the right thing to do.  But to truly make a difference, we Canadian citizens should be taking the next step, and banning shark fin soup from all of Canada.  To get involved in stopping shark finning, you can visit sites such as http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/index.htm.   You won’t regret it.

I am saddened by comments that suggest that this is a bit of face time for city councillors. This is an issue that will inevitably effect the planet if not dealt with. I was at the council meeting, and was encouraged by the support shown for the ban, I think people the world over are starting to understand the implications of the decline of the shark population. As one young girl said at the council meeting, there is right and there is wrong. This is wrong on so many levels. Please look into what this ban is really about before you judge why people are supporting it. We can try to change the world one small step at a time, or just sit back and criticize. I am saddened by comments that suggest that this is a bit of face time for city councillors. This is an issue that will inevitably effect the planet if not dealt with. I was at the council meeting, and was encouraged by the support shown for the ban, I think people the world over are starting to understand the implications of the decline of the shark population. As one young girl said at the council meeting, there is right and there is wrong. This is wrong on so many levels. Please look into what this ban is really about before you judge why people are supporting it. We can try to change the world one small step at a time, or just sit back and criticize.I am saddened by comments that suggest that this is a bit of face time for city councillors. This is an issue that will inevitably effect the planet if not dealt with. I was at the council meeting, and was encouraged by the support shown for the ban, I think people the world over are starting to understand the implications of the decline of the shark population. As one young girl said at the council meeting, there is right and there is wrong. This is wrong on so many levels. Please look into what this ban is really about before you judge why people are supporting it. We can try to change the world one small step at a time, or just sit back and criticize.