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This is probably not the best time to post an article like this, questioning annual shark kill statistics, when efforts are being made to outlaw shark fin soup in California as we speak, since many of these numbers are the very ones being used in that effort–nonetheless, in the interest of credibility, we need to look at where we are getting our scientific data.
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“In 2011, with many conservation organizations escalating their campaigns and rhetoric against the shark fin trade, there are few news articles, web sites or blogs that don’t mention the millions of sharks killed each year. But I almost never see any reference to the 38 million, which was after all, my best estimate. Frequently I see “73 million” without any reference to this being my highest estimate, and almost as often I see “100 million,” an estimate that was published in Time magazine in 1997 but for which I can find no scientific basis.”
“Selective and slanted use of information devalues and marginalizes researchers who are working hard to impartially present the data.”
Even more troubling, some sources quote these figures as “the number of sharks killed for their fins”, or “the number of sharks finned” (carcasses discarded at sea), or the “number of sharks finned alive” every year. The truth is that no one knows how many sharks are killed for their fins, how many have their carcasses dumped at sea, or how many sharks are alive when finned. We simply don’t have that information, nor do we know whether these numbers have been sustained every year since 2000.”
Source: Shelley Clarke: “Examining Scientific Integrity In the Global Shark Fin Trade”
http://www.seaweb.org/getinvolved/oceanvoices/ShellyClarke.php?utm_source=Save+Our+Seas+Foundation+Newsletter&utm_campaign=6a5c60ecaa-Newsletter-8_2011&utm_medium=email
I received this today from Michelin Guidebooks, regarding an earlier email I had sent them about their habit of giving 3 Star ratings to restaurants in Hong Kong which serve shark fin soup.
Their reply is an interesting mixture of defiance and conciliation. They claim that they are not rating the
shark fin soup *per se,* but the overall ambiance and menu and that they are not encouraging the serving of
shark fin soup by doing so.
I beg to differ. I would maintain that getting a 3 Star rating from the world-renown Michelin Guidebook does *indeed*
encourage whatever you happen to be doing at the time. So sought after is their rating system among chefs, that a couple years ago, a chef in France committed suicide because Michelin downgraded his restaurant by *one* star.
See what you think:
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Dear Mr Bear,
Thank you for your correspondence relating to the subject of shark fin.
We would like to assure you that we appreciate your concerns and fully recognise that shark fin soup is one of the restaurant industry’s most controversial and challenging dilemmas.
While it is true that shark fin soup is available in restaurants that are recommended in our guide, it is also worth noting that it is a dish served in nearly all Cantonese restaurants. Demand for shark fin soup remains strong throughout China and its cultural significance cannot be ignored. It appears that public opinion in Hong Kong is unlikely to change until there are international agreements at government level concerning the harvest and sale of shark fin.
We do, however, share your concerns. We want to assure you that we do nothing to promote or encourage the consumption of shark fin. Indeed, you will find that in the 2011 Hong Kong Macau Michelin guide there is no mention whatsoever of shark fin soup anywhere in the guide, nor are there any photographs of shark fin dishes. This is no coincidence, as we have actively sought, through our texts, to direct our readers towards other specialities available in Cantonese restaurants.
In the meantime, we would like to thank you for your comments and for your interest in our guide.
Yours sincerely,
The Michelin Guide team
A new campaign has been started in Hong Kong. The aim is to have the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr. Donald Tsang, pledge and announce in his yearly Policy Address, that the KHSAR government will halt the consumption of shark fin soup at all official banquets.
特首每年會在十月份發表施政報告。對於今年（2010年）的施政報告，我們作為聯署的環保團體、學者、以及市民，請求特首在今年的施政報告中加入一句承諾──
「在未有充份證據證明捕鯊魚業對生態的影響符合可持續發展的原則前，特區政府會暫停在政府宴會上食用魚翅。」 Petition Every October, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong delivers his Policy Address. We, the undersigned green groups, scholars, and concerned citizens, request the insertion of a pledge in his 2010 Policy Address, that — “until there is convincing evidence proving the impact of shark fisheries to be compatible with the principles of sustainable development, the HKSAR government will halt the consumption of shark fin soup at all official banquets.” This request follows previous letters from some of the co-signing organizations to the HK SAR Government advocating a similar policy change, for which the answer we could get so far has been that “the matter is being looked into”. We urge Mr. Tsang to take concrete action, through this simple pledge in his Policy Address. Environmental impact of shark fin soup Between 26 and 73 million sharks a year are being killed to satisfy the appetite for shark fin soup. Many shark species are now on the brink of extinction. In 1996, 15 shark and related species were considered threatened. Within ten years this number has increased eightfold. Sharks sit at the top of the marine ecosystem and are therefore critical for oceanic health, upon which our own sustainability depends. Global and local awareness Many corporations and institutions in Hong Kong have already pledged not to eat shark fin soup. These include the University of Hong Kong, HSBC, the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Hang Seng Bank, Swire Properties, and Canon Hong Kong. 180 primary and secondary schools have made a similar pledge. Internationally, since 2007 the Malaysian Government has banned shark fin soup at their official functions. The Hawaii State Government has imposed a blanket ban on the possession, trade and distribution of all shark fin products in the state. One government department, the Hong Kong Observatory has taken an admirable lead in removing shark fin soup from its menus. Shark fin soup: a mine field for a corporate’s public image Recent campaigns have showed the depth of public feeling on this important conservation and sustainability issue. In July this year, Citigroup ran a credit card promotion in Hong Kong and Singapore featuring shark fin soup. This triggered a public outcry, with the story making its way into local newspapers and even The New York Times and the Financial Times overseas. The bank eventually responded to public pressure and swiftly scrapped the promotion. This is just one example of public opinion demanding that organizations uphold their public commitments to sustainability, with coherent policies around the consumption of shark-fin soup. The lesson to learn from these incidents is that shark fin soup can easily turn into a public-relations disaster. It is much better to be proactive than to be forced to take action in the face of public pressure and justifiable frustration. Shark fin soup is a luxury not a necessity Hong Kong Government currently runs an “Endangered Species Resource Centre”. Every year it organizes almost a hundred exhibitions and seminars, and receives more than 6,000 visitors. All this is done to educate the public about the protection of endangered species. But no exhibition or seminar could be as effective as the Government setting an example. Shark fin soup is a luxury not a necessity, yet its detrimental environmental impact seems very plausible, if not proven. We urge our government to give the benefit of the doubt to our environment, and to halt spending taxpayers’ money on shark fin soup, until someone can prove that it has no undesirable environmental impact. Isn’t this a sound public policy?
Shark Fin Soup
HONG KONG — When Steven Leung and Sylvia Cheung celebrated their nuptials in this southern Chinese financial center recently, they lavished their guests with one sumptuous dish after another – bird nest soup, lobster, abalone.
But one traditional dish was missing from the 13-course Cantonese banquet. The newlyweds chose not to serve shark fin soup.
“I saw the cruelty in shark slaughtering in online videos. The way the fish is dumped back into the water – it is just inhumane,” Leung said, referring to the practice of hacking off the fins of sharks, then setting them free.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081702312.html
Global Shark Initiative
How It Works: http://theglobalsharkinitiative.ning.com/page/how-it-works
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oceana, the world’s largest international conservation organization focused solely on protecting and restoring the world’s oceans, announced today its partnership with Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, which premieres Sunday, August 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
“Sharks deserve widespread attention not only because they are fascinating but also because they are in terrible trouble – each year industrial fishing kills more than 100 million sharks a year ,” said Andy Sharpless, CEO of Oceana. “We applaud Discovery Channel’s efforts to make Shark Week’s millions of viewers know about the threats to sharks, and the need for better policies to protect sharks.”
Discovery is helping Oceana educate the American public about the plight of sharks – and what people can do to help – through blogs, social media outlets and public service announcements that will air each night during primetime. Viewers can look for a PSA for Oceana featuring Craig Ferguson, host of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=31071940568
Photo Courtesy: Natures Crusaders
Citibank has gotten itself into a stew over fish soup — specifically, shark’s fin soup.
The soup is considered a delicacy and, because of its priciness, a status symbol in many parts of Asia. But environmentalists have criticized consumption, saying that soaring demand for the fins, mainly from China, has caused a sharp decline in shark populations over the last two decades.
The promotion drew swift condemnation, with a lively discussion group created on Facebook and an e-mail campaign aimed at Citibank’s marketing manager.
Last week, Citibank Hong Kong withdrew the promotion, which was to have run until the end of the month, in response to feedback. ‘‘Citibank is committed to managing our business in a manner that benefits the society and the environment,’’ it said in a statement.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/a-shark-fin-promotion-backfires/?hp
HONOLULU — Hawaii has become the first state in the nation to ban shark fins.
Gov. Linda Lingle on Friday signed a bill prohibiting the possession, sale, trade or distribution of shark fins, which are used in pricey Chinese dishes.
Exceptions will be made for researchers who have obtained a permit from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Lawmakers hope the new law will help prevent overfishing and extinction of sharks harvested for their fins.
Many Chinese consider shark fins to be a delicacy, served in high-end Chinese restaurants in soup and as fillets in gravy.
The bill passed the state Legislature earlier this year with broad support.
