On  Tuesday, September 23, 2003 12:33 PM, Lee Bell wrote:

(snip)
> > I wasn't aware that shark's fin soup was a prohibited substance?

> Depends on where you are, I suppose.  Drugs are not universally prohibited
> either.  The point was, both shark finners and drug dealers are breaking
the
> law.

Singapore is just one country in the Asia Pacific region that's recognised
as having very tough laws on drugs.  It is however, one of the largest
importers/exporters of shark fins.  I'm not aware of any laws - there might
well be? - in the region that prohibits trade in shark fins!  :-)

>The fact that they are meeting demand neither lessens the violation
> nor makes them any less at fault.

Possibly true when there are universally accepted laws in place.

> > Strangely enough, while there are attempts to halt shark-finning and
> outlaw the
> > practice, the trade in them is still perfectly legal - and flourishing!

> Depends on where you are for sure.

What country's laws prohibit trade in shark fins?  :-)

> > In that regard, my comments referred to an occupational group who -
> lacking
> > access to, say, the long-line technology that US business interests are
> > using to pillage the fishing grounds of the South Pacific - are obliged
to
> > make a subsistence-level living where traditional fishing stocks have
> become
> > depleted, doing what their forefathers have done for centuries.  The
money
> > that they make from the practice goes to feed their families.

> > I'm certain that the same argument could be made for those who work for
a
> > pittance to grow, say, Coca leaves.  I would find it equally difficult
to
> > condemn them - or put the blame for the crimiinal trade in drugs on
their
> > shoulders! :-)

> Sharks are edible.  If they, and their families are so hungry, why are
they
> sinking the bodies instead of eating them?

As bait to attract more sharks.  And much as I like eating shark, it's nice
to be able to afford the choice of a McDonalds every now and then! :-)

>Why aren't they illegally
> harveting other fish, you know, ones that don't draw very high prices?

They've usually been beaten to it by technologically advanced nations, or by
highly organised criminal gangs using cyanide.

> Sorry, but those that intentionally chose to break the law are wrong, more
> wrong, in fact, than those that legally purchase their illegally obtained
> product.

You're right!  Let's throw all of the poor beggars - and their families - in
jail! (After properly determining what's legal and what isn't!) :-)

Strike