Fisherman and Shark Fins on Fishing Vessel in the Solomon Islands

A local fisherman cheers on the deck of the Korean Longliner Panal OX 501 where shark fins and tails hang to dry. The world's rising demand for shark fin soup is killing as many as 100 million sharks a year, according to a new study. The figure is three times higher than the official catch number reported to the United Nations and raises concern that the trade is having a devastating impact on our oceans and shark species worldwide.

Unique identifier: GP01HKA

Type: Image

Shoot date: 26/04/2008

Locations: Honiara, Melanesia, Solomon Islands

Credit line: © Greenpeace / Paul Hilton

Size: 4500px × 2673px 3MB

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

Containers

Shoot:

Defending Our Pacific MV Esperanza Tour

The Greenpeace ship MV Esperanza toured in the Pacific Ocean to defend the pockets of international waters between Pacific Island countries – the Pacific Commons - as marine reserves from greedy fishing fleets intent on fishing out the world's last tuna stocks - the world's favorite fish. These mother ships, known as 'reefers', are a gateway for laundering tuna out of the region.
A report was released that estimates that on top of the known fish catch, at least another 34% is stolen by pirates in the Western and Central Pacific.
Scientists have been warning for years that bigeye and yellowfin tuna are suffering from overfishing.
60% of tuna eaten globally each year comes from the Pacific heading mostly to markets in Japan, the European Union and United States.
Greenpeace advocates the creation of a network of marine reserves, protecting 40 per cent of the world's oceans, as the long term solution to overfishing and the recovery of our overexploited oceans.

Related Collections:

Defending Our Pacific Expedition 2008 (Photo & Video)

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