Preview

Shark Culling Persuasive Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
992 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Shark Culling Persuasive Essay
Sharks have always been an important part of Earth. Many cultures - beyond just the Chinese with their famous shark fin soup - consider them to be powerful symbols, deities, or sacred animals. They help keep the ecosystem in check. This, in turn, highly benefits the economy. It’s difficult to imagine a world without sharks - considering that sharks have existed for over 400 million years (What If There Were No Sharks?). This makes them approximately three million eight hundred years older than us. Unfortunately, with the rise of anti-shark movies such as Jaws, people have begun to fear sharks. Many of them wish to kill them, and will not mourn their loss. However, if one looks deeper into this solution, one will discover a myriad of problems. Problems which are guaranteed to occur if shark culling is continued. If the ocean is to be saved and humans are to be kept safe, an environmentally safe alternative to shark culling must be discovered.
Shark culling, in the simplest of terms, is the act of catching sharks with the use of baited drum lines and nets, and killing them without
…show more content…
Pavan Sukhdev studies “the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity” (Sukhdev), as well as how businesses need to change to create a greener world, which involves looking at the costs of losing biodiversity and ecosystems. According to him, around 500 million people - presumably more, as time has gone on - rely on the types of fish that thrive in coral reefs to survive. If the coral reefs disappear, these people have no jobs and descend into poverty, which is terrible for the economy. There’s also money from tourism to consider. In just the Bahamas, a single sharks - a living one - gains them around $250,000 from the cost of diving. A fisherman who catches, kills, and sells a shark, on the other hand, only makes about $50 (“The Importance of Sharks”). That’s a decent sum of money, but not nearly as good as the live shark’s

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Since the 1970’s when the movie Jaws first showed up on big screens around the country, people have been afraid of beaches, in fear of shark attacks. Not only have they been apprehensive about swimming in the ocean, but some have such malicious feelings towards sharks (especially Atlantic White Sharks due to their role in the movie) that they have taken to hunting and killing this already dwindling species. (Earth Island Institute) It is no secret that pollution and overfishing, as well as numerous other factors have caused the biodiversity of marine life to drastically decrease. It is also known that the ocean ecosystem relies much on all members of the food chain- particularly top predators like sharks. Larger sharks,…

    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Most people are afraid of sharks and don’t want anything to do with them but there are people that actually know things about sharks and don’t fear them. Sharks much like people come in all different shapes and sizes and can and do live mainly everywhere. What people don’t know is that sharks are much like people they take care of their young by protecting them, feeding them, teaching them to hunt. They are thought of as cold-blooded killers but they aren’t they just do what they have to do to survive they hunt to eat they can’t go to a grocery store and buy food they have to hunt for it they will eat what they…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The shark is known to be a terror of the ocean that does nothing more than kill human’s, at least this is what was think of these creatures until more research was discovered. The truth is that the shark is a beautiful creature that has more than 440 species that is being hunted to extinction. Not many people are killed by sharks, as it is more common to be killed by a vending machine, than a shark. These creatures do not need to be hunted, as they are already on the verge of extinction.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shark culling has become the new issue for the Australian media. Over the past three years, after seven fatal shark attacks in Western Australia’s waters, Premier Colin Barnett, declared to kill any shark bigger than three meters spotted in the designated kill zones. This culling has killed many sharks and is going to result to the extinction of these species. Miranda Devine published an opinion piece with the headline “A tasty dish for a very big fish… and it’s all our fault” in The Daily Telegraph newsletter on February 12th, 2014 stating that it is our fault that we have become part of shark’s food chain. Julia Baird also published an opinion piece in The Sydney Morning Herald on the 1st of the February 2014, with the headline “Shark cull: From jaws of defeat” opposing that sharks should be culled for a safer environment for the beaches. The selected poster from the website “Culling is not the answer” was published on the 25th of January, 2014 supporting that by killing sharks we are not making any difference on saving lives.…

    • 930 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Have you ever been swimming at the beach and thought that perhaps you had seen a shark? Sharks have become a common fear for most humans since the movie Jaws first appeared on the screen in 1975. Prior to that movie most people never gave a thought about sharks being a danger to humans. Actually we are more of a threat to them than they are to us. Some shark conservationists have pointed out that hundreds more people are killed every year in furniture related accidents than by sharks. Attacks on humans could be termed mistaken identity.…

    • 219 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Western Australian government, run by the premier Colin Barnett, has commenced the shark cull policy due to the occurrence of recent shark attacks on people. 72 drum lines or baited hooks have been placed one kilometre from the coastline of Western Australia’s eight most popular beaches. Any sharks or other marine animals that will get caught on the baited hooks and are longer than three metres will be shot and killed. It is more devastating that they will only be monitored for 12 hours per day. What about the other 12 hours? Any animal could get caught in these hideous hooks and die in an inhume way, suffering from pain and just left bleeding to death. This policy includes performing such actions that are cruel, vicious and very harsh to the marine biodiversity near the coast of Western Australia’s most popular beaches. Boat patrols and professional shark hunters have the permission under this discreditable policy to catch and kill sharks as well as other marine animals measuring over three metres.…

    • 1092 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shark finning has always been a problem. In the year of 2000, President Bill Clinton passed the Shark Finning Prohibition Act. The proposal prohibit any person under U.S. jurisdiction from engaging in the finning of sharks, possessing shark fins aboard a fishing vessel without the corresponding carcass, and landing shark fins without the corresponding carcass (National Marine Fisheries Service). Despite the law being enacted since 2000, it hasn’t produce much positive effects. Up until today, United States contains less than 25 percent of States banning shark fins, while other States have not been addressing the issue (Shark Stewards). It is ineffective because the United States government cannot seem to make a direct public statement towards…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This higher brain function can account for attacks such as the one by Kasatka who on two occasions, 1999 and 2006, attacked veteran trainer Ken Peters during live shows in SeaWorld San Diego (Hardgrove 97). In 1999, another whale named Tilikum made headlines when the mutilated body of a twenty-seven year old man was found floating in the water after he’d snuck into the facility and Tilikum attacked him (Hardgrove 98). Tilikum had previously killed a trainer in Sealand of the Pacific in 1991 before he was moved to SeaWorld, but that wasn’t cause to keep him away from performing. In 2010, Tilikum, now weighing 12,000 pounds, pulled trainer Dawn Brancheau by her ponytail, a standard for SeaWorld’s female trainers, and pulled her into his pool. He isolated her in the center of the pool by dunking her underwater and dragging her by her leg which he gnawed on. He bit at her until she died, throwing her up into the air like a ball, while an audience looked on and cameras filmed. He would pull her to the pool…

    • 1197 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Global climate change, unsustainable fishing impacts, and land-based pollution are some threats that decline the coral reefs. According to Terry Gibson, a co-author of a report from University of Miami, said that “from scuba diving in the Keys to charter fishing boats in Miami-Dade to commercial fishing in Martin County, reef-related sales amount to more than $5.5 billion each year.” Also, heavy touristic activities such as diving and snorkeling can take a toll on coral reefs. According to engineering firm Hazen & Sawyer, their survey on participation in recreational activities concludes that “five counties, Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Martin, and Palm Beach, make up more than 70,000 jobs and over $5.5 billion in annual sales in recreation related to coral reefs”. From this, employment relating to coral reefs generate more than $2.5 billion in annual income. The firm also mentioned that “overall users were willing to pay an additional $10.51 per day to fund efforts to preserve natural coral reefs and construct new artificial ones.” This may lead an increase in overall tourism to an area, meaning more visitors to both the artificial and natural reefs. However, these artificial reefs would then cause obstruction to habitats and attract invasive…

    • 925 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Great White Shark

    • 2101 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Great white sharks are known as the most dangerous of the shark species because of their sheer size and their quick mind that make them the ultimate predator. A comparison can be seen in Figure 1, where the great white shark is seen next to a human, this image is showing the sizing difference between the two species. The shark is so captivating that there is an entire week each year dedicated to these creatures to learn more about them and the world they live, in an area that is vastly undiscovered. There is enough evidence through fossils that can date the shark back four-hundred million years ago, which was a time before dinosaurs were roaming the Earth (“Shark Basics”).…

    • 2101 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. In the story the truth about sharks the antagonists is Beth. She is a typical 17 year old girl that isn’t a morning person; however she seems welcoming and considerate. Hannah is a helping hand at the store Beth is shopping at; Beth takes time and talks with her, which ended up being beneficial to her in the end. Hanna is a flat character, although she is important to the story she isn’t described with a lot of detail. Madge P Groton is the security guard, she is the protagonist. From the introduction of Madge you could tell she was stern and not overly friendly. Another important character would be the officer that eventually listened to Beth’s story.…

    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Shark Outline Example

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Bibliography: 80 Random Facts About Sharks. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2013, from Random Facts Website: http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/03/11_sharks.html…

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Master

    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Shark culling and shark hunts, as an acceptable government response to beach safety, have been up for consideration. The Western Australia Government’s decision to spend $2 million dollars “to track, catch and, if necessary, destroy” sharks in preemptive shark hunts that would cull sharks from local waters has come under scrutiny. The Herald Sun reported on a new poll on the West Australian website that found that 82% of respondents opposed the new plan and only 13% supported it.…

    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As they have been largely affected by recent developments in climate change and pollution, it is crucial that we stabilize the loss of reefs; if not, we will undoubtedly be negatively impacted. In the event that we lose considerably more reefs, we will also lose a large part of the tourism industry. When you think of tourism, beaches most likely come to mind. Whether it be the pristine waters of the Caribbean, or the rougher waves of the Australian coasts, coral reefs are a popular attraction. Aside from tourism, coral reefs supply, many people with food, as they provide varying species of fish with a food source and shelter. If coral reefs disappear, so do the fish they support with food and shelter, which will add to the world’s existing food challenges. Finally, coral reefs are noted for their biodiversity, which means the undiscovered life living there could possibly a possess cure for cancer or other serious…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Cyanide Fishing

    • 1435 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Recently, cyanide fishing for tropical and exotic species has become more prevalent in the South Pacific, causing harm to not only the marine life that is targeted, but their habitats as well. Many people in South East Asian countries rely solely on this fishing practice for income, in which they chase these tropical marine species and spray them with a cyanide solution to stun them and aid in their capture. These fish are then put into bags and exported to places like North America and Europe where they are sold for premium prices. However, many of these fish are harmed by the cyanide solution and do not even survive the trip, making the mortality rates very high, nearly forty percent (Pflug, 66.) The process of cyanide fishing is used to capture fish and invertebrates, but is damaging to many corals and juvenile reef species. This practice is becoming much more common in the Philippines, which was the first country to use the cyanide technique, where much of the reefs are destroyed from harvesting corals and cyanide fishing. Over three thousand tropical fishermen in the Philippines expose miles of coral reefs to cyanide, killing the coral polyps and bleaching the reef. Until strict regulations are put in place to protect the reefs and their inhabitants, cyanide fishing will continue to devastate reefs and kill marine life the world over.…

    • 1435 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics