Instead of making a poster, I decided to design a hoodie by drawing a shark on the front of the sweater by hand and using some stencils on the right sleeve and the back of the hoodie to make the sayings “save the sharks” “fish are friends not food” and “no fins ∙ no future.” I chose to make a design based on sharks and shark finning. There are so many reasons as to why I chose shark finning but one main reason is cruelty. When sharks get their dorsal and pectoral fins cut off (as well as any other fins on their body) they are left to slowly die (if they aren’t dead by the time they are back in the water) by floating to the bottom of the ocean. Fishermen are overfishing these creatures for greed because of the fact that the fins “sell for upwards of $1,000 per kilogram ($2,200 per pound), dried shark fin is among the highest valued seafood by weight.” (sharkstewards.org). Shark populations are declining and that will eventually lead to a breakdown in the ecosystem. Shark finning was made illegal in the US in 2023, however, most US states still allow the sale and trade of the fins. They are imported and re-exported which contributes to shark finning.
Not only does this affect shark populations but it will affect the oceanic ecosystems as well. Sharks are one of the top predators in the ocean and they actually do some population control for their prey. As for the human spect of the food chain, we as predators as well should understand that shark fins gain us no nutritional value because it is solely made up of cartilage. Their fins are high in mercury which is a known reproductive and developmental toxin that can cause permanent nerve and brain damage. When the fins undergo the process of drying and being treated, the levels of mercury can be concentrated and become higher. The World Health Organization came to the conclusion that some fins are so highly concentrated that even one bowl of soup would exceed recommended exposure. In a study done in 2012, out of 29 samples (from seven species) of shark fins a toxin called BMAA was found in 80% of the fins. When the study was later recreated in 2016, out of 55 fin and meat samples, 87% (spanning 10 different species) had BMAA in them with the highest concentration being found in the fins. BMAA could be a potential risk factor for Alzheimers, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS, all of which are degenerative brain disorders.
In the “Why Artistic Activism” reading, it states that “the creative innovation at the heart of artistic activism provides something uncommon, or out of place, that can attract attention and become memorable.” I feel that the hoodie I designed does just that, with bright colors and a sketch of a shark that isn’t ironed on can grab people's attention and make them focus in on the messages displayed in front of them. The same article continues to explain that art and creativity is a skill that we all possess. In using such a well known phrase “fish are friends, not food” (as quoted from finding nemo) it can allow someone to see it and start a conversation about the quote itself or about the rest of the hoodie design. It is also somewhat comical to me as a shark is the one who says this phrase in the movie. As the “Why Artistic Activism” article would state, “artistic activism can conjure up a vision of what could be in the future and communicate it to others in the here and now.” The phrase on the hoodie “no fins ∙ no future” is a great way to start thinking about and questioning this conversation.
Not only have I worn the hoodie but I also have made a TikTok video using the “fish are friends, not food” sound in an attempt to reach out to a broader audience. I included information within the caption starting with “Not so fun fact…” and mentioned what was previously said earlier in the post about the cost of shark fins in order to try and start a conversation.
Resources:
Cummings, Sean. “Shark Kills Rise to More than 100 Million per Year—Despite ...” Science.Org, 11 Jan. 2024, www.science.org/content/article/shark-kills-rise-more-100-million-year-despite-antifinning-laws.
Dorson, Edward. “The Massacre of the World’s Sharks for Soup.” Shark Research Institute, www.sharks.org/massacre-for-soup#:~:text=The%20world’s%20sharks%20are%20quickly,worldwide%20just%20for%20their%20fins. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
https://www.sharks.org/massacre-for-soup
“Facts about Shark Finning.” Shark Research Institute, www.sharks.org/shark-finning. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
https://www.sharks.org/shark-finning
McGuire, David. “Shark Finning and Shark Fin Facts.” Shark Stewards, 19 Sept. 2024, sharkstewards.org/shark-finning/shark-finning-fin-facts/.
https://sharkstewards.org/shark-finning/shark-finning-fin-facts/
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