Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific bans shark fins as air cargo. - Polidicks

[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/hong-kongs-cathay-pacific-bans-shark-fins-as-air-cargo-bowing-to-pressure-from-green-groups/2012/09/06/6643be98-f823-11e1-a93b-7185e3f88849_story.html[/url] [quote]HONG KONG — Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific says it will stop carrying shark fins as cargo, bowing to pressure from groups concerned about cruelty and possible extinctions as China’s appetite for the delicacy rises. “Due to the vulnerable nature of sharks, their rapidly declining population, and the impacts of overfishing for their parts and products, our carriage of these is inconsistent with our commitment to sustainable development,” Cathay said in a statement. Shark’s fin soup has long been a staple of high-class Chinese banquets and its consumption is becoming more commonplace as incomes in China rise. [b]Cathay is the biggest airline in the southern Chinese city of Hong Kong, which is estimated to account for about half of the global trade in shark fins. The company is also one of the world’s biggest cargo airlines.[/b] “The decision will not have a material impact on business,” spokeswoman Elin Wong said Thursday, but she could not say exactly how much shark’s fin the airline carried. The airline’s decision comes after it received a letter in July from 40 environmental and humane groups. Citing government statistics, they said more than 10,200 metric tons of shark fin were imported into Hong Kong last year, 13 percent of that by air cargo. The announcement by Cathay, one of Hong Kong’s blue chip companies, follows similar moves by other high profile groups. [b]The luxury Peninsula and Shangri-la hotel chains have said they would stop serving shark’s fin. In July, the Chinese government said it would stop serving it at official receptions.[/b][/quote] This'll help things, even if only a little.

It's a start at least.

A step in the right direction. China's beliefs with shark fins are quite fucked up. Unfortunately, some people may try to smuggle them.

Good, fuck you China

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;37595511]A step in the right direction. China's beliefs with shark fins are quite fucked up. Unfortunately, some people may try to smuggle them.[/QUOTE] They will. Where there is a demand, there is a person who will go to extraordinary means to supply that demand. The goal should be a gradual shift in societal attitudes against eating shark fin. The government not using it anymore is an excellent start.

I want to try Shark Fin soup just to say I did, but I don't want to support it even more.

I thought this thread was about banning toy shark fins because it annoys people at beaches. I've never heard of eating shark fins...

This is wonderful news. [editline]8th September 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=leontodd;37596245]I thought this thread was about banning toy shark fins because it annoys people at beaches. I've never heard of eating shark fins...[/QUOTE] Around 50-100 million sharks are killed each year for the fin alone. Sometimes they cut the fins off the shark while they're still alive and toss them back to drown. Though most civilized nations ban thus practice by forbidding shark fins to be brought to shore without being attached to a body. Some shark species are estimated to have been 90% destroyed and some are critically endangered, though most are data deficient. Not to mention most people (including Gordon Ramsay) say its tasteless and ruins a good soup. So yeah, it sucks. People only eat it to feel rich.

[QUOTE=OvB;37596321]This is wonderful news. [editline]8th September 2012[/editline] Around 50-100 million sharks are killed each year for the fin alone. Sometimes they cut the fins off the shark while they're still alive and toss them back to drown. Though most civilized nations ban thus practice by forbidding shark fins to be brought to shore without being attached to a body. Some shark species are estimated to have been 90% destroyed and some are critically endangered, though most are data deficient. Not to mention most people (including Gordon Ramsay) say its tasteless and ruins a good soup. So yeah, it sucks. People only eat it to feel rich.[/QUOTE] Whoa I can't believe I'd never heard of it, thanks.

I here it taste like nothing but people just eat it for prestige

[QUOTE=leontodd;37596762]Whoa I can't believe I'd never heard of it, thanks.[/QUOTE] How the hell have you not heard of Shark Fin soup? Its a pretty famous dish

[QUOTE=Matrix374;37599339]How the hell have you not heard of Shark Fin soup? Its a pretty famous dish[/QUOTE] Because he's from a country that mostly known for a dish called fish&chips?

Seriously though, artificial shark fins have been invented years ago. Why cant we all just move to this instead?

[QUOTE=adam1172;37600956]Seriously though, artificial shark fins have been invented years ago. Why cant we all just move to this instead?[/QUOTE] Because it's a tradition, and some actually do believe that the real deal, gives you sexual boost and superstitious stuff like that. Eating shark fins has existed for ~500 years in China, to suddenly stop it is a hard task. It's hard to compare with things that exist in the West, but I guess it's like forbidding bullfighting.

Good, they're destroying an entire species for no good reason.

Although it does taste of nothing, it ain't bad. A substitute of similar texture would be good.