Every year, in oceans around the world, tens of millions of sharks are hunted to meet the demand for shark fin soup, an East Asian dish which is traditionally served at weddings or New Year celebrations. You can help stop the killing: Take our No Shark Fin pledge.

Shark fin soup is cruel and wasteful. Fins removed, the animals are thrown back into the water to die slowly and painfully.

Finning is not only inhumane; it allows sharks to be caught in unsustainable numbers. Apex predators, sharks play an essential role in marine ecosystems. Shark finning endangers their survival—and that of the species that rely on them. In addition, shark fin has been shown to contain dangerous levels of mercury.

HSI is reaching out to the public, restaurants and other businesses to educate people about this issue. Raising awareness is key; many say they never realized what impact their consumption had on the environment.