In the wake of environmental documentaries like “The Inconvenient Truth,” there is a new documentary coming out in the next month or so about sharks called “Sharkwater.” (link is to film’s site).

Probably most of us has seen one shark documentary or another – ala Shark week on the Discovery Channel or some other nature channel. What I find interesting about this one is that they appear to be focused on the exploitation of sharks – the barbaric practices of shark finning and illegal fishing activities that happen in many marine sanctuaries around the world. They certainly won’t be the first to expose such activities, but perhaps they will reach an even wider audience. I wonder if environmental films coming to theaters is a trend for the future? I personally think it is a great way to get more people engaged, perhaps even enraged and simply caring about such things.

Given I haven’t seen the film yet, I really can’t offer an opinion yet on what they say or how they say it. The premise at least seems to be in the right direction. The director highlights some of the risks they encountered in documenting some of these practices in some Q&A on the website. Unfortunately, shark finning is still an industry that seems to be getting away with abuse of these animals. There is yet another online petition here against one of the biggest Chinese companies that act as brokers in the shark fin market that I found out about from wetpixel. It is pretty sad that a company like this can exist today. Just look here and you will see their advertisements.

Several organizations have been protesting against this act for a long time. More info here from the Ocean Realm Society as well as plenty of info on Sea Shepherd’s site. Even more interesting are all the news stories that have cropped up about how China is being pushed to take shark fin soup off the menus at the 2008 Beijing Olympics because it would reflect poorly on the Chinese people to a world audience and be offensive to visitors. Wow, talk about wanting to cover up the bad aspects of your culture. So after the Olympians leave, it is back to business? If it is offensive for the Olympics, perhaps it is just offensive in general! I suppose every culture has a lot of skeletons in their closet, but this just doesn’t seem right.

I’ll admit that lately I am having doubts at the usefulness of online petitions in situations like this – if this company’s customers aren’t speaking out, then why would they listen to a world full of ‘radicals.’ It is all $$$ to them in the end at the ocean’s expense, and perhaps one day extinction of a species. I will continue to sign them of course, because perhaps someday someone will listen. (I am #2274 on the one above) – but to be honest, it is kind of hard to keep up. I seem to be growing more discouraged with situations like this. It isn’t very fulfilling to be a point and click activist – but what else can you do? I can continue to donate to organizations that I believe are trying to change things. I applaud photographer Wolfgang Leander for taking a big part in the cause.

Maybe I am just questioning whether any of this makes a difference and the world is just going to hell. I know that I will likely never see a restaurant that would serve such a dish, and if I did – I would either be walking out and letting them know about it, or dumping the pot on the chef’s head. Like the film trailer says.. ‘People of the future will look back on us as barbarians.’

Another good article: New Estimates of the shark fin trade