Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Humans vs. Oceans, Part I

Let’s start with the word from the Humane Society International: “According to some estimates, between 50 and 100 million sharks are killed each year around the world. Many of these sharks are unintended “bycatch” by vessels fishing for high-value species such as swordfish and tuna, but every year, millions of sharks are increasingly a target for their extremely valuable fins.”

This practice involving catching sharks, cutting off their fins while they are alive, and tossing the maimed fish back into the ocean (often still alive). Why? SharkFriends.com explains: “Shark fins, once they are harvested, are then dried to be sold in markets to individuals and restaurants to be made into shark fin soup and sold to the public (especially tourists) for as much as $350 per bowl!”

To make this even more despicable, the shark fins don’t add flavor to the soup. They are added solely for texture.

Sonny Rollins sez: “I think we are in the midst of this period where we are committing suicide on the planet and everybody is just using up all of our natural resources like a bunch of insane people. That’s what I worry about more than I worry about jazz.”

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A photo Michele took of me last week at my Bluestockings talk: