Do I look like I need to be protected, girlfriend?

The Times has a nice story by Mark McDonald arguing the ins and outs of protecting great white sharks. A good case can be made for either, depending on where you stop reading the article.

Alexia Wellbelove, senior program manager with Humane Society International, sounds like a bit of a jerk when he says “Australia has an immense moral and legal responsibility to protect great white sharks in our waters.” Immense moral and legal responsibility for a fucking shark who would eat you alive?

On the other hand, noted shark expert Pamela Anderson, referring to the continuing obsession with shark-fin soup in Asia, said that “Hooking sharks, pulling them from the water, cutting off their fins while they are still alive, then dumping them back into the ocean to suffer and die is appalling. To do so for a bowl of soup is indefensible.”

I think Pamela won that one, and I’m not just saying that because I like to see her naked. Shark soup, yes, shark fin soup, no. Grow up, guys! And lay off the rhino horn too! Try some Cialis! You’ll thank me, and you’ll be aiding America’s balance of payments as well!

Afterwords
Noticeably missing from Mark’s article is any actual mention of the estimated numbers of great whites talking trash and acting brash and occasionally eating humans. Still, fin chopping is both appalling and indefensible. Sensible oceanic fishing policies are a long way off.