'while shark fins are prized as a delicacy in Chinese cuisine in Asia and elsewhere, most shark meat is of little value. to conserve onboard space for more valuable fish species while maximizing profits from skark catches, many commercial fishing boats cut off the fins of sharks while they are still alive and toss the mortally wounded fish back into the sea.

there is no scientific evidence to support claims that the much prized, noodle-like cartilage of the shark fin soup has any beneficial medicinal qualities."iht081002