Studio brief four- it stood out from the others. A brief designed purely on research, how to research- broadly and specifically, what methods of research there are, and how to collaborate and present information. We were to buy a paper from Tuesday 22nd October, pick a story and research it- but first a general understanding of newspapers was required.
In groups we sat down with large A2 sheets of papers and began to discuss and organise the types of newspaper existing today. Broadsheets- like the Guardian and the Observer, containing majority text, usually a very formal and serious tone and tabloids- the Sun, the Star, the Daily Express which usually have larger images and less intense amounts of text, they also are the main paddlers of celebrity gossip and 'non-news' stories. There are also the mid-range tabloids.... (see sheets for finishing off this bit)
(Picture of A2 sheets)
Tuesday 22nd October
My paper of choice was the Independent- (I usually read the abbreviated 'i' and I enjoy it's unbiased and state-the-fact tone, it allows it's reader to make up their own minds on topics instead of being force fed opinions) and the story that immediately caught my interest was about shark finning; more specifically the decline in shark finning due to the decline in shark fin soup's popularity in China. As a part-time conservationist and one of these 'hippy' types the story interested me on a lot of levels, from a conservationist or environmentalist point of view, biological and scientific facts, and the cultural and social implications. This gave me a broad spectrum of topics to research.
(Pic of paper/story)
I divided my research into 5 different categories: Sharks and shark biology (including population figures), finning- it's direct impact on the individual animal and the environment as well as how it's done, shark fin soup- it's history and cultural significance, the price of fin and the biggest culprits of the shark fin trade (import and export) and finally the conservation projects and legislation put in place to protect the threatened species. I felt that a good overall knowledge of finning in all areas would mean I was better prepared when it came to selecting a specific topic for further research.
Here's what I found for each section.
Sharks and Shark Biology
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Chondrichthyes
SubClass: Elasmobranchii
(sharks and rays)
Superorder:Euselachii
Key features:
Torpedo shaped, electric receptors
for hunting prey, cartilage skeleton for flexibility and buoyancy, inability to
stop swimming, dermal denticles- teeth like scales, upper jaw not fused to
cranium, ability to re-grow teeth, doesn’t possess buoyancy sack- instead uses
oil filled liver to reduce body density in the water.
Lay eggs- exception tiger shark ho
gives birth to one live pup.
Known to date from 420 million years
ago
Over 470 species
Common finned sharks:
• Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus)- conservation status –Near threatened
• Blue (Prionace glauca) (a species of requiem shark) Conservation Status- Near Threatened
• Bull (Carcharhinus leucas) Conservation Status- Near Threatened
• Hammerhead (family Sphyrnidae)
• Porbeagle (Lamna nasus) (a species of mackerel shark)
• Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)
• Sandbar (Carcharhinus plumbeus) (a species of requiem shark)
• Thresher (family Alopiidae)
• Tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier) (a species of requiem shark)
Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias - wikipedia.org
Populations
The global shark catch in 2012 was 100 million
– wikipedia.org
Nearly one out of five shark
species is classified by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of
Nature) as Threatened with extinction. That doesn’t even include hundreds of
species (almost half of all sharks) whose population status cannot be assessed
because of lack of information. Scientists warn that, in actuality, a third of
sharks might already be threatened. –projectaware.org
100 million sharks are killed each year-by longlines,
by "sport" fishermen, or by a barbaric practice known as shark finning.
–seashepherd.org (in comparison to 12 humans killed by sharks annually)
With 90% of the world's large shark populations
already wiped out, sharks are being depleted faster than they can reproduce.
This threatens the stability of marine ecosystems around the world. Sharks are
vitally important apex predators. –seashepherd.org
In
January 2003, a team of researchers from Dalhousie University headed by Julia
Baum published a short paper in the journal Science (Vol. 299, pp
389-392) entitled, "Collapse and Conservation of Shark Populations in the
Northwest Atlantic". In it, they analyzed logbook data of shark
bycatch taken by U.S. pelagic longline fleets targeting swordfish and tunas in
the western North Atlantic. Six shark species or species groups were
recorded from 1986 onward and eight shark species from 1992 onward. These
data allowed Baum and her team to compare incidental shark catches over a
period up to 1.5 decades.
Baum
and her team found that, with the exception of makos (genus Isurus),
shark populations of all recorded shark species in the western North Atlantic
had declined by more than 50% in the past 8 to 15 years and Scalloped
Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias),
and thresher sharks (genus Alopias) have declined by more than 75% over
the past 15 years. The graph above is another representation of Baum et
al's findings. The species group "Hammerheads" consists mainly
of the Scalloped Hammerhead, "Grey Sharks" includes coastal
species of the genus Carcharhinus as well as the pelagic Silky Shark (C.
falciformis), "Thresher Sharks" includes both the Common (Alopias
vulpinus) and Bigeye (A. superciliosus), while "Mako
Sharks" consists mostly of the Shortfin Mako (I. oxyrinchus).
These
results show that overfishing is threatening many large coastal and oceanic
sharks in the western North Atlantic. These sharks should thus be
prioritized for conservation efforts, or these species may be extirpated from
the region. The long-term ecological effects of local extinction of so
many large coastal and oceanic sharks is unknown, but — given their slow
maturation and low reproductive rate — a cautionary approach seems
warranted. Efforts should thus be made to reallocate pelagic longline
fishing effort and/or to reduce shark bycatch in the western North Atlantic.- http://www.elasmo-research.org/conservation/collapse.htm |
| From elasmoresearch.org |
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Impacts
Sharks are an apex predator. Apex predators are invaluable for keeping the populations of everything else in the food chain in balance. The oceans depend on them to keep the numbers of other fish and mammal species in check and weed out the sick, injured and dying so that populations of fish stay strong and healthy. Without sharks -- from bottom feeders all the way up to Great Whites -- the balance of the ocean's food chain is in danger.
This is not just a guessing game, either. We've already seen the impact a loss of sharks can have on an ecosystem. According to Shark Savers, a scientific study conducted in the mid-Atlantic part of the United States showed that when 11 species of sharks were nearly eliminated, 12 of the 14 species those sharks once fed on became so plentiful that they damaged the ecosystem, including wiping out the species farther down the food chain on which they preyed. The negative effects trickle out as the ecosystem gets thrown out of balance. Animal.discovery.com
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Shark Fin Soup
All information on the soup provided by http://www.sharktruth.com/learn/history-of-shark-fin-soup/
History
The story goes that shark fin soup was created by an emperor in the Sung Dynasty (AD 968) who wanted to show how powerful, wealthy and generous he was to his banquet guests. Serving the expensive dish came to be seen as a sign of respect.
The dish became a popular delicacy and is now known for being part of what is known as the Big 4 – a set of dishes representing different things in Chinese culture such as prosperity and health at a traditional dinner banquet. Often reserved for special occasions like weddings, the Big 4 consists of:
Abalone [bào]
Sea cucumber [shēn]
Shark fin [chì]
Fish maw [dǔ]
Shark fin as a symbol of status & face
Like many dishes in traditional cultures, shark fin is served as a symbol of class and wealth. Shark fin – like a brand name car or bag – is known as a “conspicuous consumption” product, meaning that it is served as a public display of social status.
Traditionally, the groom’s side of the family pays for the wedding banquet and folklore used to say that “a bride marrying into a family without shark fin soup on the table, is marry into a poor family.” Although we now know that is simply not true, this dish now has become an ingrained tradition of status, “face” and respect. Much like how one may expect turkey at Thanksgiving dinner, banquet guests may expect shark fin at the wedding table.
Shark fin as an act of generosity
In Chinese culture, there is a strong virtue of “sharing your fortune” with others. Many elders (our parents and grandparents) who emigrated out of their home country did it to build a future for their children. Often times, these elder struggled with poverty and segregation and serving shark fin at their children’s or grandchildren’s banquet is their way of saying, “look how hard I have worked my whole life. Now I can finally afford these expensive dishes and I want to share it with you all – my family, my friends.”
Fish wing soup
Using expensive products to display your social status is a pervasive tradition in many cultures and shark fin is no exception to this cultural norm. Language is another reason why many consumers don’t know about the issue. In Chinese, shark fin is called Yu Chi which literally translates into English as “fish wing.”
In other words, it is only in recent shark conservation history that the general public is beginning to learn that the “fish wing” in Yu Chi is actually made of shark, and that sharks are in danger of becoming extinct.
The dish became a popular delicacy and is now known for being part of what is known as the Big 4 – a set of dishes representing different things in Chinese culture such as prosperity and health at a traditional dinner banquet. Often reserved for special occasions like weddings, the Big 4 consists of:
Abalone [bào]
Sea cucumber [shēn]
Shark fin [chì]
Fish maw [dǔ]
Shark fin as a symbol of status & face
Like many dishes in traditional cultures, shark fin is served as a symbol of class and wealth. Shark fin – like a brand name car or bag – is known as a “conspicuous consumption” product, meaning that it is served as a public display of social status.
Traditionally, the groom’s side of the family pays for the wedding banquet and folklore used to say that “a bride marrying into a family without shark fin soup on the table, is marry into a poor family.” Although we now know that is simply not true, this dish now has become an ingrained tradition of status, “face” and respect. Much like how one may expect turkey at Thanksgiving dinner, banquet guests may expect shark fin at the wedding table.
Shark fin as an act of generosity
In Chinese culture, there is a strong virtue of “sharing your fortune” with others. Many elders (our parents and grandparents) who emigrated out of their home country did it to build a future for their children. Often times, these elder struggled with poverty and segregation and serving shark fin at their children’s or grandchildren’s banquet is their way of saying, “look how hard I have worked my whole life. Now I can finally afford these expensive dishes and I want to share it with you all – my family, my friends.”
Fish wing soup
Using expensive products to display your social status is a pervasive tradition in many cultures and shark fin is no exception to this cultural norm. Language is another reason why many consumers don’t know about the issue. In Chinese, shark fin is called Yu Chi which literally translates into English as “fish wing.”
In other words, it is only in recent shark conservation history that the general public is beginning to learn that the “fish wing” in Yu Chi is actually made of shark, and that sharks are in danger of becoming extinct.
How shark fin is served & what it’s made of
Shark fin soup is a thickened soup made with chicken and ham broth (and likely some MSG). It can be accompanied by shredded chicken and is either served in “threads” (torn up strands like thick vermicelli) or the fin can be served whole (more expensive). The price per bowl can range from $5 a bowl up to upwards of $2,000 a bowl depending on the type and style of shark fin served. But no matter how it is served, none of the soup’s flavour actually comes from shark fin. It is essentially symbolic.
A Culinary Art
There is also a rich tradition behind the preparation of the soup. The New Yorker Magazine interviewed Corey Lee, the former chef de cuisine at The French Laundry, who worked on a recipe for a faux shark-fin soup. The article talks about how the cooking of the soup is really a culinary art that was perfected over thousands of years. There is no question that shark fin itself has no nutritious or taste value. Nowadays, it is often said that shark fin is eaten for its texture, a texture that Corey Lee, the former chef de cuisine at the French Laundry in San Francisco has proved that can be replaced by other non-endangered seafood or fake shark fin.
Alternatives & change
With all the alternatives available for banquet hosts, we’re already beginning to see a shift in consumer behaviour and a desire to go Fin Free. To see how values are changing, watch Tides are Turning.
Finning
Process
Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins while the remainder of the living shark is discarded in the ocean.
Sharks returned to the ocean without their fins are often still alive; unable
to move effectively, they sink to the bottom of the ocean and die of suffocation or are eaten by other predators. Shark finning at sea enables
fishing vessels to increase profitability and increase the number of sharks
harvested, as they only have to store and transport the fins, by far the most
profitable part of the shark. Some countries have banned this practice and require the whole
shark to be brought back to port before removing the fins.
The removal of fins on land
during catch processing is not considered shark finning – wikipedia.org
Over 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed each year. The fins only
amount to 4% of a shark's bodyweight. This means that some 200,000 tons of
shark are thrown back into the sea and discarded. –seashepherd.org
Price
Shark finning increased since 1997 largely due to the increasing demand for shark fins for shark fin soup and traditional cures, particularly in China and its territories, and as a result of improved fishing technology and market economics. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Shark Specialist Group say that shark finning is widespread, and that "the rapidly expanding and largely unregulated shark fin trade represents one of the most serious threats to shark populations worldwide". Estimates of the global value of the shark fin trade range from US$540 million to US$1.2 billion (2007). Shark fins are among the most expensive seafood products, commonly retailing at US$400 per kg. In the U.S., where finning is prohibited, a bowl of shark-fin soup can sell for $70 to $150. Some buyers regard the whale shark and the basking shark as trophy species, and pay $10,000 to $20,000 for a fin. –wikipedia.org
Shark finning increased since 1997 largely due to the increasing demand for shark fins for shark fin soup and traditional cures, particularly in China and its territories, and as a result of improved fishing technology and market economics. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Shark Specialist Group say that shark finning is widespread, and that "the rapidly expanding and largely unregulated shark fin trade represents one of the most serious threats to shark populations worldwide". Estimates of the global value of the shark fin trade range from US$540 million to US$1.2 billion (2007). Shark fins are among the most expensive seafood products, commonly retailing at US$400 per kg. In the U.S., where finning is prohibited, a bowl of shark-fin soup can sell for $70 to $150. Some buyers regard the whale shark and the basking shark as trophy species, and pay $10,000 to $20,000 for a fin. –wikipedia.org
A third of fins imported to Hong Kong come from
Europe. Spain is by far the largest supplier, providing between 2,000 and 5,000 metric
tons a year. Norway supplies 39 metric tonnes, but Britain, France, Portugal and Italy are
also major suppliers. Hong Kong handles at least 50% and possibly up to 80% of the world
trade in shark fin, with the major suppliers being Europe, Taiwan, Indonesia,
Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United States,
Yemen, India,
Japan, and Mexico. –wikipedia.org
Only the fins are kept because shark
fins are now among the most expensive seafood items in the world with retail
values of over US$ 400 per kilogram (Clarke 2004) –sharksavers.org
The following information is taken from a PDF document posted on sharksavers.org
The top 20 shark catchers (all shark products):
Shark Exporters (All shark products):
Top 20 importers and exporters of, specifically, shark fin:
Top 20 importers and exporters- all shark products:
Conservation
European Union’s (EU) finning regulations, are fraught with loopholes –project aware
Trade in only three species of sharks – basking, great white and whale - are regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). –project aware
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) It’s the largest, most effective wildlife conservation agreement in existence. With 178 member countries CITES provides an international framework for monitoring and controlling trade in species at risk and penalizing violations.
CITES-listed species are subject to strict trade controls and verifications. For highly endangered species, commercial international trade can essentially be shut down.
To date, more than 30,000 species of plants and animals are listed under CITES and the agreement has been a major factor in the recovery of the Nile Crocodile, the South African white rhino and some populations African Elephants, for example. –projectaware.org
Saturday ended nearly a decade of battle to close
several enforcement loopholes that had permitted some forms of shark finning.
Finning has technically been prohibited in the EU since 2003, but an exemption
allowed Member States to issue special permits for fishing vessels to remove
shark fins on board. In particular, an exemption used by Spain and Portugal
allowed some vessels to remove sharks’ fins at sea, which made it nearly
impossible to detect and monitor the finning that was occurring. –oceana.org
October 2012 shark finning
itself had been banned in Costa Rica, but under a new executive order issued by
President Laura Chinchilla loopholes allowing the transport and import of shark
fins have been closed, fully banning the shark fin trade. – treehugger.com
European Union
Shark finning was prohibited in the EU in 2003 (Regulation (EC) No 1185/2003).[39]
In November 2011, the EC approved a rule that would require all EU-registered fishing boats
to land only sharks which have retained all their fins. Because the legislation
allowed fins to be removed on the boat and different body parts to be landed at
different ports, the ban proved difficult to enforce. The EU Parliament's
fisheries committee supported the EC's proposal to ban the separate landing of
shark bodies and fins, however, the committee approved an amendment which
allows fins to be removed on board a vessel.
On 19 March 2012, the Council of the
EU adopted a general approach supporting the Commission's proposal to close the
loopholes in the EU shark finning legislation by ensuring that all sharks were
landed with their fins naturally attached without exception. It is believed
that Spain and Portugal were the only EU Member States to raise objections to
the Commission's proposal.
On 6 June 2013, the Council of the EU completed
the final step to close loopholes in the EU shark finning ban. By adopting a
"fins naturally attached" policy without exception, the EU has now
effectively ended the practice of shark finning by EU vessels. wikipedia.org
A war on extravagance
It's fair to mention that a part of China's decline in shark finning (the story from my main article) is China's war on extravagance as a way to combat corruption and abuse of power within the Chinese government. A part of this new legislation brought in to crack down on over spending and waste is the banning of expensive banquets- at which shark fin soup is served.
The positive effect on sharks is merely a side effect of an entirely different story based around government corruption, communism and attempts to calm the public's anger in their leaders.
Design Boards
After gathering all manners of information I extracted the key points from each category and produced a summery/design boards for each.
It's fair to mention that a part of China's decline in shark finning (the story from my main article) is China's war on extravagance as a way to combat corruption and abuse of power within the Chinese government. A part of this new legislation brought in to crack down on over spending and waste is the banning of expensive banquets- at which shark fin soup is served.
The positive effect on sharks is merely a side effect of an entirely different story based around government corruption, communism and attempts to calm the public's anger in their leaders.
China's military has introduced new rules to combat "extravagance and waste" in spending, state media said Sunday, as the country's new leaders stress austerity to fight official corruption.
New Communist Party chief Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, approved the rules which aim to promote austerity and control expenditure, the official Xinhua news agency said.
Xi, who is set to become president next month, has repeatedly pledged to fight graft amid rising social discontent at government corruption and political scandals that have tarnished the ruling party. www.spacewar.com
A crackdown on extravagance and corruption within China’s ruling Communist Party is causing headaches for officials used to splashing the cash on banquets, but it’s proving a lifesaver for sharks.
Zhao Ping, the deputy director of the Department of Consumption Economy Studies at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Co-operation, believes up to 50 per cent of the drop in shark fin consumption is a result of cutbacks in government-related dining.
“It’s not to do with conservation,” Mr Villagomez said. “It’s related to a Chinese government anti-graft crackdown, which has cut back on dinners where shark fin soup was featured on the menu.” www.independent.co.uk
After gathering all manners of information I extracted the key points from each category and produced a summery/design boards for each.
Shark Biology and
Populations
Shark Fin Soup:
History and how it's made
Finning:
Process and Price and Imports and Exports
Conservation:
EU Legislation
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