Ignorance is destructive. Failing to pursue education about any subject is detrimental to the progression of society. While we continue on with our lives, creatures in all of the world’s oceans and seas are dying, species are being depleted and this is all because of what humans do by overfishing and illegal hunting. Through proper education, awareness of the harm humans are causing to various sea creatures can be brought to the mainstream, and thus proper actions that will ensure that these animals will be taken care of will happen. Ignorance and total indoctrination without questioning can be seen in all areas of life, including literature. In “The Trial” by Franz Kafka and “Hell-Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri, ignorance and complacency is rampant, and that transfers to real life as well, and the consequences are right in front of our eyes, in the oceans.
Failing to realize what is going on right in front of us has dire consequences, and Joseph K. learned that at the end of “The Trial” by Franz Kafka. Joseph K. does not once, at any point in the novel, attempt to even find out how or why he was in the position he had found himself in one morning. Kafka demonstrates to the reader numerous times throughout his novel that being ignorant causes major issues, and ultimately results in the death of Joseph K. Belatedly, Joseph K. begins to wonder “Who was it? A friend? A good man? Someone who sympathized? Someone who wanted to help? Was it one person only? Or was it mankind?” (Kafka 228). This demonstrates the sheer ignorance Joseph K. had throughout the novel, so consumed with his indignant innocence that he failed to once question why he was in this situation. Why do we become so consumed with their day to day lives that we choose to ignore what’s right in front of our eyes? Humans have a tendency remain ignorant until it is far too late, and for the 100 million sharks each year that are slaughtered for their fins, this is certainly the case (SSCS). Many people do not know, and are not aware of the impacts that shark finning has on the fragile ecosystem of the ocean. Many sharks are tossed right back into the ocean as their fins are removed, being left to bleed out or to be eaten by other sharks and fish (SSCS). Every single year, over 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed each year (SSCS). The fins make up a small percentage of the shark’s total body weight, so a staggering number of sharks are thrown back into the ocean without fins. Shark finning in illegal and considered very much inhumane, but those who consume shark fin soup are part of the problem. Many people are ignorant of how that bowl of steaming soup in front of them comes to be, and by educating people on the processes involved with creating shark fin soup, the demand will decrease, thus putting a stop to shark finning.
Wild Aid, an environmental organization, published a report in 2014 stating that there was a “82% decline in sales reported by shark fin vendors in Guangzhou, China and a decrease in prices over the last 2 years” (Wildaid 2). Much of this decline can be attributed to a commercial by Yao Ming, a famous Chinese basketball player. In this PSA by Wildaid, Yao Ming uses his influence as a famous person to spread awareness of what the process behind shark finning involves. It shows a crowded restaurant, with aquariums surrounding the customers. A voiceover begins to state facts about shark finning, and a shark with its fins cut off is in the tank. The people in the restaurant push their bowls of soup away. An unnamed wholesaler, for shark fins in Guangzhou, China, said that “Yao Ming’s commercial impact single-handedly smashed my business”. Many wholesalers and retail traders are now seeing the negative impacts of shark finning, if solely based on their businesses alone. By educating people on the atrocious act of shark finning, we can start to save one of the most vital and equalizing creatures in our beautiful oceans.
Sharks grow very slowly, and because of their slow rate of growth and reproduction, they are very likely to go extinct because of shark finning. According to an article by Caty Fairclough of the Smithsonian Institute, “Many fishermen prefer to practice shark finning instead of bringing whole sharks to the market because the fins are far more valuable than the rest of the body, sometimes selling for as much as $500 a pound”. Shark fin soup is a highly sought after dish, symbolizing wealth and power over what is known as the scariest predator in the sea. The smooth hammerhead shark and the scalloped hammerhead shark are the two species that are already endangered, and “between 1.3 and 2.7 million of these sharks are killed every year in the shark fin trade” (Fairclough). It has been estimated that some shark populations have decreased by 60-70% due solely to shark finning.
Another aspect of illegal hunting involves whaling. Whaling is a more well-known occurrence, thanks to Animal Planet’s show, Whale Wars, featuring Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and their fleet of boats. In 1986, a ban on hunting whales for commercial profit was put in place, and despite this ban, over 50,000 whales have been killed since. Since this ban is based solely on “commercial profit”, countries like Japan say they are hunting whales for “research purposes”, in order to jump through the required hoops. However, because of the ban put in place, whaling has dropped significantly, but unfortunately, it still occurs. Japan, Norway, Iceland and Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling communities “kill around 2,000 whales a year-mainly fin, minke, Bryde’s, sei, humpback, and sperm whales” (WDC 3). One of the weapons used to kill these whales, grenade harpoons, involves a sustained and torturous death for the whales. While whale might be an essential part of Aboriginal diet, there is little to no excuse for developed counties like Norway, Iceland and Japan to be continuing the slaughter of whales. Whales, like sharks, have a slow reproduction rate, mainly due to their size and scarce populations. Also due to their sheer size alone, there is no humane way to kill these creatures. Since so many people are educated on why whaling is a problem, it will be much easier to put a stop to whaling,
Just as ignorance is commonly seen in “The Trial” by Franz Kafka, it is also seen in “Hell-Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri. Usha, the narrator of this story, speaks a lot about Pranab Kaku, a man whom she considers her uncle, despite there being no blood relation. Both Pranab Kaku and Usha’s parents come from Calcutta, and by indoctrination in the culture of their home country, they all met through acquaintances. Pranab Kaku became a constant presence at the household of the narrator, and the narrator is aware that her mother fell in love with Pranab Kaku, who was, by all accounts, far more educated and progressive than the average Bengali of the time period. The people around Pranab Kaku were very shocked by his choice of woman, he picked an American. None of their acquaintances or friends agreed with this arrangement, and Usha’s mother had quite a lot to say about it. She says “In a few weeks, the fun will be over and she will leave him” (Lahiri 626). This ignorance is proven wrong, for Pranab Kaku and Deborah stay together for much longer than that. They are ignorant of the fact that happiness can be found outside of the common expectations, and disagree with his choice simply because Deborah was not of Indian descent. This ignorance is rampant, and by refusing to see the other side of the coin, we will be unable to solve any problems in the future. Overfishing is a big issue in today’s world, the higher the population is, the higher the demand for the tasty fresh seafood we’ve all come to know and love. Many people are unaware of the impact that overfishing has, and the depletion that it causes.
Overfishing is a widespread issue in society today, and many people choose to remain unaware of the effect that it has on the biodiversity of the world’s oceans. There are many people throughout the world that depend on fishing as a main part of their income, and while the higher consumption rates of seafood are helping their businesses flourish, it is also taking a toll on the species that are being fished. According to Pristine Seas, an organization through National Geographic, Atlantic cod and herring and California’s sardines were harvested to the brink of extinction by the mid-1900s. There was a study that was published in the journal, Science, that predicted the collapse of all of the world’s fisheries by 2048, which is certainly in the lifetime of many people who are alive today (Seas). Humans have this idea in their minds of the ocean being so huge, so plentiful, that no matter what we do there will always be fish in the sea. Scientists have been concerned about the state of the population of various species for quite some time now. Harvesting is occurring at such a rate that the fish can’t reproduce fast enough. In 1989, 90 million tons of fish were harvested from the ocean, a staggering number that has not been seen since (Seas). Species such as Chilean sea bass, Bluefin tuna and orange roughy, and their accompanying fisheries, have collapsed. It has been estimated that the number of large fish in the ocean has reduced to just 10% of the pre-industrial population. In order to achieve this pre-industrial number, we must educate people on the alternative sources of food and how the mass consumption of fish is hurting the world’s oceans.
According to WWF, “more than 85% of the world’s fisheries have been pushed to or beyond their biological limits and are in need of strict management plans to restore them” (WWF). Most of the people involved in fishing are aware of these consequences, and yet continue to pursue this career, as many cultures around the world depend on supplying fish to the world. As much as the WWF and others would like to regulate fishing, at least 20% of the world’s catch are a result of illegal fishing. However, despite fishing helping various coastal economies, overfishing and illegal fishing with likely result in those economies collapsing, once the oceans have reached their limit. Fish are a main source of sustenance for many people around the world, and continued overfishing will terminate a regular food source for many different people around the world.
The depletion of many different species can come as a shock to most people, and FAO estimate says that over 70% of the species of fish in the ocean that are consumed by people are drastically depleted. Many economies around the world are seeing a decline in the value of various fish stocks, and this will only get worse over time if the ignorance of the state of the ocean continues to exist. However, despite there being troves of evidence pointing to the extinction of many different species, there are still some who question the reliability of these estimates, and there were a few scientists that came out against the various reports and studies that have been done. Ray Hilborn is a fisheries scientist at the University of Washington, and he believes that these estimates are false. He said, “the Georges Bank haddock stock, which is bigger now than it has been in the last 40 years” is not, in fact, one of the various fishing stocks that are believed to be struggling (Hutchinson). The number of people who are convinced that this is not a problem are few and far between.
Fish is a very nutrient rich and protein rich food that many people all over the world rely upon in order to get the protein that they need to survive. According to the FAO, “over 100 million tons of fish are consumed each year”(Kourous). Many cultures depend on fishing as their livelihood to provide for their families and their communities. If various sanctions were put upon commercial fishing, it may make it hard for some of this people to provide the funds that their families need in order to get the proper care and education, as well as fulfilling their needs. The FAO estimates that nearly 200 million people rely on fishing and the accompanying fish trade in order to survive, and “the volume share of developing countries in fishery exports represents just over half, about 55 percent, of the total” (Kourous). Unfortunately, sanctions on fish trade can drastically reduce the income of people in developing and poor countries, adding to the struggle that they already live with day in and day out. The Maldives are some of the top consumers of fish today, reports have estimated that they consumed roughly 160kg of fish per capita in 2010. (Helgi). The people of Maldives heavily rely on fish as a source of protein, simply because fish is readily available, and easily accessible for them.
Not only do some people believe that overfishing is in fact a farce, there are also risks to the proposed solution to overfishing, which is aquaculture. Aquaculture is the process of raising fish for farming and integrating them with wild fish offshore. According to Endangered Oceans, there have been “problems with the transfer of sea lice from salmon farms to wild salmon” (Upton), as well as other way around, and in 2003 there was an outbreak of infectious hematopoietic necrosis which came from the wild population of salmon in British Columbia, and thus affected the farming population of salmon as well. Not only do diseases pose a risk to wild populations, genetic mutations and anomalies also pose a risk. Because aquaculture facilities are offshore, and around other types of fish, there is potential for the spread of genetic mutations that will occur from interbred fish in hatcheries. Genetically modified fish also pose a risk to wild populations, as they can grow bigger and stronger in a shorter time, compared to their wild counterparts. There are also some concerns that offshore farming can be risky for other types of marine life as well, with the potential of sea turtles and other type of marine life tangling in the netting that will separate the farmed fish from the rest of the ocean. Several solutions have been brought to the forefront, and scientists are currently working on developing the best and most humane options for the rest of the ocean. Open ocean facilities could potentially harm some known endangered animals, such as the North Atlantic right whale during their migration. In spite of all these potential problems, scientists are looking to avoid them and working harder to develop a humane and reasonable approach to these issues.
By spreading awareness through education, we can begin to show people what is going on outside of their daily lives. While shark fin soup may not be popular here in the United States, it is extremely popular in China. If more of these people were educated about the horrors that sharks have to endure for the sake of their soup, then demand for that soup would decrease. As a whole, we all need to be aware of the consequences our actions are having on the marine life we neglect to care about, and until the last fish dies, we won’t realize what we have done, unless we educate and act now. If this continues on, our children and grandchildren might not be able to hear the beautiful song of various whales, or be able to see the pure evolutionary prowess of the various species of sharks that are in our ocean. Sharks are a big contributor to keeping the ocean balanced, and without them, the ocean will be unequal. As awareness and education spreads, we may be able to put a stop to what is now threatening the delicate balance of our life sustaining oceans.
Works Cited
Helgi Library. 2010. 17 April 2016.
Hutchinson, Jim. “The Threat Posed by Overfishing is Exaggerated.” Endangered Oceans (2009).
Kafka, Franz. The Trial. New York: Schocken Books, 1968. Print.
Kourous, George. FAO.org. 7 June 2005. 17 April 2016.
Lahiri, Jhumpa. “Hell-Heaven.” Abcarian, Richard, Marvin Klotz and Samuel Cohen. Literature: The Human Experience. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013. 622-636. Print.
Seas, Pristine. “Overfishing.” 2014. National Geographic. Web. 30 March 2016.
Society, Sea Shepherd Conservation. Shark Finning. n.d. 30 March 2016.
Upton, Harold F., and Buck, Eugene, H. “Offshore Fish Farming Offers Both Environmental Risks and Benefits.” Endangered Oceans (2010).
WDC. “Whaling.” 2015. WDC. 30 March 2016.
Whitcraft, S.,Hofford, A.,O’Malley, P.,Jaiteh, M.,Knights, P. and V. Evidence of Declines of Shark Fin Trade China. San Francisco: Wildaid, 2014.
WWF. “Overfishing Threats.” 2014. WWF. 30 March 2016.
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