With Canada being such a multi-cultural country, sampling international cuisines is easy in many major cities. Not necessarily as a consequence of my cultural heritage*, I happen to love Chinese food. However, one thing that I don’t love is the use of certain ingredients in the dishes – especially shark fin for use in the famous shark fin soup.
Shark fin is mainly sold in China and it often involves slicing off the fins from live sharks which are thrown back into the sea, where they bleed to death. According to the World Conservation Union, it is estimated that between 26 and 73 million sharks are going through the Hong Kong fin market each year – basically three to four times the total shark catches being reported to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Sharks are susceptible to overfishing because they mature slowly and produce relatively few young compared with other fish species. This is especially true of deep-water sharks which are particularly vulnerable. Since sharks are often on the top of the marine food chain, significant changes to their population will affect the rest of the ecosystem.
I don’t mean to criticise the Chinese on their cuisine as some restaurants are now aware of the situation and have actively banned real shark fin from their menus. However, not every one is yet aware of the devastasting effects this culinary choice can produce. The next time you are invited to a Chinese restaurant for a banquet, ask if they will be serving shark fin soup for dinner, and if they are, politely suggest that there are alternatives such as imitation shark fin that is made from seaweed. If consumer demand to ban shark fin is high enough, then there just may still be a place for sharks in the marine ecosystem.
*I am Chinese.
Erika says:
09/04/2009 at 11 h 23 minI agree these animals are beautiful marine specimens and to over fish them to maybe extintion is very disturbing. If there is an alternative then it should be shown to the Chinese maybe if they show what can happen more Chinese restaurants will ban it. Help the shark survive I for one will sign a petition to stop this slaughter. EJ.
Marlene I. says:
10/04/2009 at 1 h 17 minGood for you for speaking up. More people need to stand up for the animals, birds etc. because they can’t. We are slowly killing everything off.It’s sad.
Duncan says:
11/04/2009 at 11 h 57 minDisturbing news, if the whole shark was used it would not be so terrible.Althought we need to know these things it will be very hard to change a delicousy of many millions chinese.Just imagine cutting out a cows tounge and using none of the rest of the carcass.
kathy says:
12/04/2009 at 10 h 18 minThis is very interesting, I was in the supermarket yesterday and while shopping in the health section I noticed a bottle of shark fin capsules. I was really surprised and wondered what on earth people take this for. I will now contact the company concerened (Jamieson) and ask them to stop marketing this product.
Carol says:
14/05/2009 at 18 h 22 minHats off to all of you who have taken time to comment on this – especially the author of the article. Our best defense to this and other like abuses is to not support it and not support those that do.