NOW that the ivory trade has finished, dealers have turned their "attentions" to the basking shark. Although this gentle, plankton-eating giant is protected in British waters, it is currently being hunted to extinction in Europe and the rest of the world, not for its meat, but its dorsal fin. This can fetch up to £7,000 in Asia, where it is eaten as a delicacy known as "shark fin soup", selling at £44 per bowl.
The method used to kill these creatures is particularly barbaric.
I urge readers to write to: Mr Gary Titley, MEP, 16 Spring Lane, Radcliffe, urging a change in EU law to protect this endangered species before it is too late, and/or send a donation to: The Born Free Foundation, 3 Grove House, Foundry Lane, Horsham, Sussex RH13 5PL, who are campaigning hard to save them.
Sara Lee
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