Week 6: Sustainable and Ethical Fisheries: Shark Finning

Question 1

Cultural food practices

Answer 1

• traditional cuisine is passed down from one generation to the next
• traditional dishes are an expression of cultural identity
• immigrants to Canada bring the food of their countries with them as a means of preserving their culture
  
  • dietary acculturation occurs

Question 2

dietary acculturation

Answer 2

changing cultural dishes based on the availability of ingredients in Canada and different taste preferences

Question 3

Fois Gras

Answer 3

delicacy in french cuisine

• made from liver of duck or goose that has been intentionally fattened by gavage
• french law states that “ foie gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of france.
• other countries have laws against force feeding or sale of foie gras

Question 4

gavage

Answer 4

force feeding of corn to animal

Question 5

Where is dog meat consumed?

Answer 5

China, Korea and Vietnam

• small segment of Korea population use dog meat in medicinal summer soups (make virility; combat summer heat)
• Many canadians are shocked by this which consider dogs household pets and not food
• Our ethnocentrism can prevent us from understanding and appreciating anothers cultures and values

Question 6

Cultural significance of shark fin soup amoung Chinese

Answer 6

• symbol of wealth and prestige
• served as delicacy in china and Chinese restaurants globally
• TCM: rejuvenate, appetite enhancement, nourishing to blood, beneficial to vital energy, kidneys, lungs, bones and many other parts of the body

Question 7

Shark fin and medicine

Answer 7

• shark fin cartilage is sold as an alternative medicine for the treatment of arthritis, osteoporosis, psoriasis, and cancer
• available evidence does not support claims of shark fin cartiladge

Question 8

Shark finning

Answer 8

sharks are caught most commonly using long-lines with thousands of baited hooks, sharks are brought on board, their fins are sliced off, and often the shark is thrown back into the ocean still alive, to drown, suffocate, bleed to death, or be eaten

Question 9

consequences of shark finning

Answer 9

• globally, millions of sharks are slaughtered annually to satisfy the demand for shark fin soup and shark cartilage
• extinction of some species is imminent
  
  • long-lived species (25-30 years) with slow growth rate; late sexual maturity; low reproductive rate (few pups born)

Question 10

What is being done to ban shark finning?

Answer 10

• legislation being considered
  
  • hard to regulate global fishing industry
• legislation in cities, provinces, states and countries has been passed to make it illegal to sell shark fin soup
• In 2019 Canada became the first G20 country in the world to ban the import and export of shark fins

Question 11

Is banning shark fin soup an attack on Chinese culture?

Answer 11

• Chinese and non-Chinese alike have united to protect sharks
• Cultures are dynamic and can change
• Eating shark fin soup is declining in China

Question 12

Famous person against shark fin soup

Answer 12

Yao Ming

• basketball player in China