That bowl of shark fin soup you enjoy at Chinese New Year or Chinese wedding dinner comes at the expense of another creature
No Chinese New Year celebration is complete without the reunion dinner. For some families, it is the only time when every aunt, uncle, cousin and newborn nephew or niece gathers under one roof. This is the time when, on tables all over Singapore, there will be sumptious spreads of dishes made of abalone, bird's nest and, of course, shark fin. Many will argue that a reunion dinner is not complete without shark fin soup -- served with vinegar, a dash of pepper, and a capful of brandy.Whether it'stop-grade or no-grade, shark fin is considered a delicacy many would be reluctant to swear off. But did you know that the gelatinous gloop that is so highly regarded by Asians is taken cruelly from sharks?
All for Soup
You might have seen that ZO postcard (particularly in Asian Geographic magzines), the one with dead, de-finned sharks lying all over the floor at a Chinese wedding banquet. That image is, unfortunately, not a gross exaggeration. Shark finning involves cutting off a still-alive shark's fins and then dumping its bleeding body back into the sea. Fishermen usually cut off the shark's dorsal fin, which it needs in order to swim. Some shark species need to swim constantly in order not to drown. So even if the de-finned shark doesn't die from bleeding, it would still be sentenced to a slow, torturous death by drowning. If you think about it, it's akin to someone hosting you from the swimming pool and severing your limbs before dumping you back in. And all because your limbs are thought to make great soup! Amazingly, shark fin is absolutely tasteless. That unique flavor, taste and aroma, are thanks to the chef's careful brewing and preparation, and not from the fins. So technically, shark fin soup made without the fins would taste exactly the same.
An Act of Wasterfulness
It can be difficult to see a killing machine such as the shark as a creature that deserves compassion and conservation efforts. However, we have taken so much from sharks that we are dooming them to extinction. According to Victor Wu, a Wild Aid representative in Singapore, "Some shark species have declined by as much as 90 percent." There's a Chinese saying that goes: "A bird can roost but one branch; a mouse can drink no more than its fill from a river." Sadly, it's human nature to take more than we should. The problem lies in the fact that no one seems to want shark meat. In 1999, over 50,000 blue sharks were finned in a US region; onl 982 fish were kept whole. Since fins make up only one to five percent of a shark's body weight, 95 to 99 percent of the fish is wasted!
Most of the harvested shark fins feed the Asian demand. One pound of dried shark fin can fetch up to $450 in Asian markets. "As long as there is excessive demand for shark fin soup, the chances of a global shark population collapse will continue to grow," Victor explained. Each year, we consume over 350 tons of shark fin. That means more than half a million sharks are brutally slaughtered each year so that we can have our shark fin soup. In Singapore, one restaurant chain reported serving an average of 7,000kg of shark fins a month!
Slow Regeneration
Sharks grow slowly, mature late and have only a few offspring. These factors mean that shark fin consumption is increasing too rapidly for shark populations to catch up. In order to meet just one restaurant's shark fin demand, entire populations of sharks have to be killed. Are we comfortable with the knowledge that we're eating the sharks to extinction? Perhaps, we don't feel guilty because sharks don't have the same cute-cuddly, sympathy-inducing image as other endangered species. Imagine cutting off a panda's limbs and leaving it to bleed to death in the middle of a bamboo forest. Turns your stomach, doesn't it?
Doing Your Part
The killing would stop if the demand for shark fin ceased. "Ultimately, the consumer who pays for the final product keeps the shark fin trade alive," said Victor. In other words, the fate of these magnificent creatures lies in your hands. Celebrities have already given their word to reduce their personal consumption of shark fins. Singapore Airlines stopped serving shark fins on Business Class when a businessman petitioned for it. Even the vice president of Taiwan, Annette Liu, has pledged not to serve shark fin soup at functions she presides over. Every person has the power to influence change. Saving the sharks is but one of the many ways you can make this world a better place. If you are interested in finding out more, visit www.wildaid.org and take a look at the many ways you can help. Every one of us can make a difference. Why not start this Chinese New Year?
Labels: act of wastefulness, reunion dinner, shark fin soup, shark finning, slow regeneration
