They usually kill a whole shark for just its fins. They cut off its fins then throw it back into the ocean to die, since shark meat is not popular, whereas tuna in the same area is, so they usually save room on the boat for tuna. Countless boats are seized full of shark fins but no sharks or maybe a few sharks dying or weakening so their fins are easier to cut off.

Some species of shark have been driven nearly to extinction because of this. Many others have become endangered or vulnerable.

These designations take time to establish due to the research process, but the demand for sharks fin soup has risen dramatically in Asia, already making many shark species hard to find now, and even driving fishermen into national parks where it's illegal to fish. Nonetheless, shark species are quickly joining the endangered and vulnerable lists.

Most sharks do not bother people (unlike Hollywood images). They just eat fish, and many eat no fish and only plankton. They are an important part of the food chain and have intelligence.

Many different environmentalists have documented the shark fin problem thoroughly.

http://www.thailandlife.com/sharkfinsoup.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972437,00.html

http://www.rense.com/general76/SHARK.HTM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2048654,00.html

---