Page 61 - Shark
P. 61

Drift net



                                                              thrAshed thresher
                                                              Thresher sharks (left) are heavily fished
                                                              in both the Pacific and Indian oceans.
                                                              They are caught with long lines and
                                                              gill nets. Landing a thresher can be
                                                              dangerous, especially if they lash out
                                                              with their tails. Sometimes their tails
                                                              get hooked on long lines.


                                                              sAd end for A tiger
                                                              The tiger shark (right) was killed
                                                              in an angling competition
                                                              in Florida. Competitions to
                                                              catch big sharks were
                                                              popular in the past, but
                                                              now conservation-minded
                                                              anglers tag and release the
                                                              sharks they catch.



                                                                                                              fishing
                                                                                                             for food
                                                                                                           In developing
                                                                                                              countries,
                                                                                                                people
                                                                                                             depend on
                                                                                                          shark meat for
                                                                                                         protein. In other
                                                                                                         countries, shark
                                                                                                          is a luxury food
                                                                                                           in restaurants.
                                                                                                            Whether we
                                                                                                       choose to eat shark
                                                                                                      or not, it is important
                                                                                                       that shark fishing is
                                                                                                    controlled. If not, these
                                                                                                      fascinating creatures
                                                                                                   could disappear from the
                                                                                                          world’s oceans.












      Cutting up sharks for meat


                                                                                        finning
                                                                                    These Japanese
                                                                             fishermen on a boat in the
                                                                             Pacific Ocean are cutting the
                                                       drying fins       fins off sharks caught in drift nets.
                                                       Shark fins are     They throw the rest of the shark
                                                       used in Chinese      back in the sea. Fins of many
                                                       cooking for            different kinds of shark are
                                                       delicacies like     removed, sometimes when the
                                                       shark fin soup.   animals are still alive.
                                                       Because the fins   When thrown back
                                                       can be dried,     in the sea, they take
                                                       they are much      a long time to die.
                                                       easier to market   Without their fins,
                                                       than shark meat,   they are not able to
       Shark                                           which has to be    swim properly and
       fins                                            sold quickly or    may be torn apart
       drying                                          processed.          by other sharks.

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