Will Need for Fuel Drive Greenland Shark to Extinction?

It's no secret that we need to find an alternative to petroleum. The supply is limited and spills are detrimental to the environment. The opportunity to utilize a renewable resource or a waste product is exactly what we should be looking for, but converting the flesh of animals into biofuel is a dangerous idea.

Slim Allagui of Physorg.com is reporting that researchers at the Artic Technology Centre in western Greenland are hoping to develop a method of converting the Greenland shark's oily flesh into an energy source. The article opens by stating the Greenland shark is, "a nuisance to fishermen and its meat is toxic to humans." It also refers to the shark as a "beast" and says that "thousands of [Greenland sharks] get caught in fishermen's nets off Greenland every year."

If you only read the first few paragraphs of the article, you might buy into this idea, but I have one simple question: Have we lost sight of the fact that the Greenland shark is a living creature? This is not an unnatural waste product that we are looking to convert into fuel; the Greenland shark is a living, breathing animal that reproduces, feels pain, and serves an environmental purpose, just like we do.

You may be caught up on the fact that according to this article, thousands of dead Greenland sharks are thrown back to the sea every year, but the answer that is not to find a method for using part of their bodies. The answer is to find a way not to kill them. If you've ever had the opportunity to see video of what gets caught in a fishing net and how many animals are killed for absolutely no reason, you would understand how despicable this process truly is. Finding a partial use for the Greenland shark is just man's way of justifying his carelessness.

Hypothetically speaking, however, even if you feel that fishing is necessary and finding a way to utilize the Greenland shark by converting its flesh to fuel is responsible, you must recognize the fact that this process will transform from utilizing byproduct to hunting the Greenland shark for its value as a fuel. Humans as a species have no willpower. That's why we overeat, develop drinking problems, and underachieve at life consistently. Humans are also inherently greedy which is why children get exploited in sweatshops, multi-billion dollar businesses like the NBA lay off people living paycheck to paycheck, and cultural icons like Martha Stewart go to prison for insider trading. Once people realize how much money they can make off of fishing for fuel rather than fishing for food, the Greenland shark won't stand a chance.

We've hunted the dodo to extinction. We almost did the same to the bison. Hopefully we will learn our lesson before we do the same to the Greenland shark.

Sources:

Allagui, Slim, "Greenland Shark May Become New Source of Biofuel" Physorg.com