When championing the individual rights of a few damages the health and lives of many, can we really call that freedom or justice? Nobody is saying you can't catch a shark and sell it. But is it a good idea to continue supporting a practice that is responsible for fishing sharks to the point of extinction?
Costa Rica is often applauded for its progressive environmental policies and peaceful democracy. I know it as a Mecca of sustainable tourism and perfect surf breaks. Yet the brutal, enormously profitable shark fin trade has prospered in Costa Rica's waters and ports since the late-1990's, making this tropical Central American country a key outpost in the global shark fin trade.