Sharks have persisted on Earth for nearly 400 million years and are one of the oldest animal groups on the planet. Today, there are currently 100 million, or even more, sharks being killed every year. The main cause of this disturbing decline in sharks is overfishing, and while they are on the top of the marine food chain, their absence would cause disastrous effects in marine life, and even a global disturbance. .
There are currently 100 million or more sharks killed every year, done especially for their valuable fins that are used in soups, which are to be considered as a sign of wealth since they are so expensive. The fin has become the most valuable part of a shark., and a serving of shark fin soup can sell for up to $100. Fishers have the ungraciousness to catch these sharks, remove their fins, and throw them back in the ocean alive for them to bleed to death. Shark finning kills up to seventy million sharks annually, and as the popularity of the shark fin soup increases, it is expected for this number to increase, which is why scientists have predicted that at this rate, sharks could possibly be completely wiped out in 200 years. .
In countries such as Asia, a sharks' cartilage are believed to be medically curative, and even though not proven to be beneficial for health purposes, the market continues to produce medical products from sharks. The shark's liver is believed to be cancer-curing, which is why an abundant number of the sharks' dried up cartilage is sold in small capsules yearly since so many people today struggle with cancer. Today, forty-two varieties of cancer have been found in sharks, so the theory that sharks are abundant to cancer has been proven wrong, yet the slim optimism that they do in fact cure cancer, keeps the market booming. .
As the top predators in the oceans, the role of sharks is essential to keep other marine life healthy and balanced. Removing sharks would not only eliminate half the atmosphere's CO2, which controls the weather and global temperature, but also destruct whole ecosystems in the ocean due to overpopulation of fish.
