I attended yesterday to the opening of the new Jules Vernes Adventure Festival. in Paris. The purpose of this Festival is to show documentaries and movies which all have exploration and adventure as central topic. This year the organizers of the festival have decided to award the fantastic career of Claude Lelouch, the famous French producer of "La Nouvelle Vague". He is one of the only producer to be able to shot "life like it is" behind his camera. My favorite movies from him are: "Un homme et une femme", "Tout ça pour ça", "L'aventure c'est l'aventure", "les Uns et les Autres", "Les Misérables" and many other moments of emotion.
The opening film of the festival was dedicated to the sharks and it is one of the most shocking and striking documentary I have ever seen: SHARKWATER. I am crazy for diving, already dived with sharks, and guess what: I am still alive. It is a fascinating animal, the major predator in the sea, before fishermen arrived.
This movie denounces massive fishing campaigns in shark areas which has generated a sharp decline in their populations over the last decade. Scientists estimate that shark fishing is killing around 150 Million sharks/year!
Shark fins has become a popular meal in China, even if it is tasteless. It fuels a multi million dollars global traffic, and generates illegal and cruel fishing methods such as "fining". Fining consists in cutting the fins of the shark while he is still alive, and dropping the shark alive in the sea without his fins. It is a real shame for countries who are closing their eyes on this trade activity in their national sea areas.
However I sometimes found this documentary too extreme in his approach (attacking fishermen boats might not be the right solution).
Now shark is one of the most endangered specie in the oceans, as well as tuna, dolphins and many others, due to industrial fishing described in the last report of National Geographic.
How can we stop this?
- If you travel in Asia, please avoid shark fins soup, not only for the taste!
- I know many people who like sushis (I don’t) . Tuna sashimis and sushis are not very friendly for the nature.
- Keep on eating fish, it is good for the health (omega 3 is important for the brain activity), and print the guide of National Geographic before going to the market.
- Support farm fisheries which is an ecological way to protect the oceans. This business is growing very fast.
Why did I write this post? Because I want my kids to see a sea full of life, instead of a empty oceans.