CNN article: Toxic delicacy of shark fin causes ecosystem chaos, and consumers are pushing back
• What: Shark species are becoming endangered and possible going extinct
• Who: The Chinese culture are buying shark fins as delicacies
• Why: the shark fin soup trade is a major thing in Hong Kong which is why tons of shark fins are being illegally caught and sold on the market
• When: between 2014 and July of 2018 5 metric tons of shark fins were caught and sold
• Where: Hong Kong
• How: because the shark fins are being cut off, sharks are becoming immobilized and consequently dying of starvation and suffocation or being eaten alive
• Impact of the event or finding / Relevance to society: those eating these shark fins are risking being poisoned because shark fins have tested positive for unsafe amounts of arsenic, cadmium, and mercury including methylmercury Ten different species of sharks were found to contain cyanobacterial toxin which is linked to neurodegenerative diseases
• Relevance to the course: The drastic decrease in the shark populations contribute to an unsustainable underwater ecosystem. Because sharks are at the top of the food pyramid, they are vital in keeping the ecosystem balanced. Because they are gradually declining, the prey species are increasing and wiping out other species.
• Any pertinent questions raised by the story: why hasn’t the consumption of shark been made illegal once they were aware of the consequences?

Source: Liu, Marian. “Toxic Delicacy of Shark Fin Causes Ecosystem Chaos, and Consumers Are Pushing Back.” CNN, Cable News Network, 5 Feb. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/02/04/health/shark-fin-chinese-new-year-hong-kong-intl/index.html.