Shark!

sharks eco system endangered

I am sure we have all seen the films, news and headlines over the years…Shark Attack!

Very scary and at certain times of the year more prevalent:-

Chris Lowe, the director of the Long Beach State University Shark Lab in California, said in a statement that shark attacks on humans were “exceedingly rare considering the number of people who use southern California waters, but people do need to be aware that the fall season is a time when more large juvenile and adult white sharks may be moving along the coast.”

Taken in context though we wouldn’t walk into a Lions Den and there have been cases where even cows have surrounded a person and crushed them to death…Because you had entered their field.

Why have I chosen to blog on The Shark??

A headline on Facebook posted by my granddaughter… Caught my eye so I googled it…

Shark Finning!

I hadn’t heard of it but as I started reading it I realised!

Shark Fin Soup…

In China, shark fin soup originated during the Ming dynasty around the 14th Century. Initially, it was a rare delicacy only enjoyed by the nobility and aristocracy. Sharks were rare and hard to catch so it was only served on special occasions and to honoured guests. It was considered one of the eight treasured foods of the seas and signified wealth, power, and prestige. However during the Qing Dynasty, in the 18th and 19th centuries, shark fin soup began to be consumed by more people.

SHARK FINNING IS BARBARIC. SHARKS ARE CAUGHT  with long lines, gillnets or spears, landed onto the boat with no water so they start to suffocate. THEIR TAILS AND FINS HACKED OFF WHILE THEY ARE STILL ALIVE AND THEN THEY ARE OFTEN JUST DUMPED BACK (ALIVE) INTO THE SEA… Where they slowly sink to the bottom THEN die of blood loss, starvation or are eaten alive by bottom feeders like crustaceans…Wasteful and Barbaric!

How would any species survive without their arm, legs, wings, fins or tails?

Not only is it cruel but it is having a disastrous effect on the oceans eco-system.

Banned in many places ( which) is a step in the right direction …

https://awionline.org/content/international-shark-finning-bans-and-policies

hai sharks-3347789_640

This beautiful creature dates back over 400 million years even outliving the dinosaurs of the 1,000 plus species of sharks and rays many are now in danger of becoming extinct due to overfishing…Yep …That word keeps appearing on my radar…Over Fishing.

Just as overfishing threatens many/most of the fish in our Oceans the shark plays an important role within the eco-system…Classed as one of the top predators they are an essential part in the natural order of marine ecosystems.

Not all species of sharks attack humans and when they do sometimes it is a set of circumstances like a magpie is said to be attracted to bright shiny objects bright colours or blood from an open wound attracts some sharks …

What do sharks feed on most on fish, plankton, molluscs, squid, rays, dolphins, sea lions you may as well say practically everything in the ocean.

You get the Bull shark who will feed on other sharks but in turn, crocodiles have been known to feast on Bull Sharks.

The Tiger Shark, however, eats non-food items and there is certainly much of that to be found in the sea due to dumping and pollution.

How do sharks feed…?

In many different ways just like the sheepdog rounds up the sheep so the long-tailed Thresher Shark rounds up schools of fish. The thick-lipped Nurse shark puckers up and sucks their food out of cracks and crevices.

The Cookie Cutter Shark and no I didn’t name it…Latches onto its prey and sucks out a bite and the little pygmy Shark scurries up and down the sea bed picking up plankton and small fish as it goes.

Sharks are very important to the ecosystem as they are good housekeepers they eat the sick and weak leaving the healthiest of marine species to breed and thrive. Some feed on carcasses of dead creatures lying on the sea bed just like we vacuum or sweep our floors they keep the sea bed clean…

Say NO! To the practice of Shark Finning … Save Our Oceans!

I always love your feedback your thoughts and comments are much appreciated… If you have concerns about our world please share it is the only way we raise awareness of what goes on and the harm being done …Thank you xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx

30 thoughts on “Shark!”

  1. Pingback: Recycling and Climate Change…18th May 2020…and Covid-19… | Retired? No one told me!

  2. Small Change

    Great piece really highlighting the importance of sharks to all marine ecosystems. All predators (especially apex predators) do a lot to keep balance within ecosystems. In marine environments in particular, the large amounts of nutrients excreted by predators are vital for the survival of phytoplankton which are the backbone of all ocean life. Keep up the good work informing people about the many threats to our seas 😁

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Pingback: CarolCooks2…A roundup of my New Years posts… | Retired? No one told me!

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      I just had to…I truly wasnt aware until I saw a FB post just a picture my grandaughter posted saying how we cant hear the screams it made me want to know more…

      Liked by 1 person

  6. willedare

    More and more great white sharks are appearing along the beaches of Cape Cod in the USA due to a significant rise in the local seal population (which is due to improved environmental protections for the seals…) A man was bitten (and survived) a couple of summers ago and then last summer a man was bitten who then died from his wounds. Although I love to swim in the ocean, I am very grateful that there are still sharks alive out there. As you reminded us, all ecosystems need top predators — like sharks or wolves — to remain in a healthy balance. As Sue Vincent observes, we human beings “are the most dangerous and cruel predators on the planet.” Deep breath in. Deep breath out. No shark fin soup for me!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      I am pleased to hear it Will …I will stick with my tomato or Tom Yum soup..Good to hear that the seal population is on the up due to environment protections and of course it will mean the rise in predators but that is nature…Thank you for popping in your comments are always very welcome ..Happy New Year, Will 🙂

      Like

  7. Tom Darby

    I’m an outdoor guy and lots of people disagree with hunting and even fishing. But I believe in my grandfather’s way — use the entire animal. Nothing goes to waste. Glad you are willing to take on the subject of ‘finning.’ It is wrong as the shark is left to basically drown.

    Liked by 3 people

  10. Sue Vincent

    We are outraged when a shark follows an apparent food source or defends against a perceived threat by attacking a human… and yet, we are the most dangerous and cruel predators on the planet. I can accept hunting and fishing for food… but not arrant cruelty…and not using the whole creature shows an utter lack of respect for the life taken.

    Liked by 3 people

  12. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

    Reblogged this on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and commented:
    Carol Taylor is passionate about animal welfare sustainable fish sources and health… one of her subjects that is gaining a lot of attention is her series on waste food and conservation. In this post she combines animal welfare.. waste and conservation…Sharks may engender fear in us as swimmers but attacks are very small in comparison to many of life’s hazards, usually man-made. Unfortunately humans do far more harm to sharks. #recommended.

    Liked by 3 people

Comments are closed.