Taiwan SPCA

據統計，全球每年有超過百萬條鯊魚被獵殺，加之鯊魚本身成長速度慢，繁衍能力弱 (1-3年才1-2隻寶寶 - EAST)，全球鯊魚總數量30年來減少了90%，其中雙髻鯊和大白鯊等鯊魚的數量15年來減少了70%，一些品種的鯊魚在加勒比海已經絕跡。保守估計,台灣五年來屠殺了3千多萬隻鯊魚。根據國際自然保護聯盟（IUCN）2009年發佈的研究報告指出，全球1,045個鯊魚及其相關種類（軟骨魚）中，已有17%面臨滅絕威脅，13%瀕臨滅絕。而全球每年約消耗7千萬隻鯊魚用於魚翅料理。台灣是全球捕殺鯊魚的第四大國，也是全球魚翅進口及出口國的最大國之一。

根據全球最重要的魚翅交易中心-香港的官方統計，2008年約有9,950公噸的魚翅（含乾魚翅、冷凍魚翅）輸入香港，其中最大的輸入國是西班牙約2,646噸，其次新加坡約1,201噸，台灣約991噸的魚翅。

鯊魚被捕捉後會被割下鰭,而沒有金錢價值的身體則是被丟會海浬。沒有鰭的鯊魚在海浬是無法遊動與無法得到氧氣的, 之所以為何捕捉鯊魚是一件非常殘忍的行為 (牠們在海浬會死於飢餓﹐ 窒息﹐ 或者是被其它魚類吃掉)。我們希望台灣政府可以更加重視鯊魚的保育並禁止鯊魚的捕捉與魚翅的買賣! 希望業者可以聽到消費者的心聲﹐ 停止販賣魚翅湯/魚翅商品!

Statistics show that millions of sharks are killed each year globally, which is why in the past 30 years global shark populations have been depleted by 90%. Furthermore, sharks mature slowly and produce few young (1-2 young per 1-3 years - EAST), therefore it is impossible for the shark population to replenish itself fast enough to recover from the massive killings. Certain shark species have decreased by 70% in the past 15 years alone, while some species in the Caribbean have gone completely extinct. In the past 5 years in Taiwan, an approximate 30 million plus sharks have been killed for human consumption. According to a report published in 2009 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), out of 1045 shark and related species, 17% are threatened and 13% are endangered. Globally, 70 million sharks are killed each year for shark fin soup and Taiwan is the 4th largest killer of sharks in the world. Taiwan is also one of the top import/export countries of shark fin products in the world.

According to the world's largest shark-fin trading hub, Hong Kong, official statistics show that in 2008, an approximate 9,950 tonnes of shark fins (including dried, frozen) was traded in Hong Kong. Other major trading countries are Spain (2,646 tonnes), Singapore (1,201 tonnes), and Taiwan (991 tonnes).

Once a shark is caught, its fin is cut off and its valueless body thrown back into the sea. A shark without its fin cannot swim and cannot inhale oxygen, therefore will either die of suffocation, blood loss and/or will be helplessly eaten by other fish in the sea. We urge the Taiwanese government to take the issue of shark protection seriously and implement the ban of shark finning and the sale of shark fin products in Taiwan. We also urge businesses that sell shark fin products to listen to the voices of concerned consumers and STOP selling shark fin soup and shark fin products.