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Hong Kong bans shark fin at government events
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Hong Kong’s government said yesterday it would stop serving shark fin at official functions, following years of lobbying by conservation groups.
The southern Chinese city is one of the world’s biggest markets for shark fin, which is viewed by many Asians as a delicacy and is often served as a soup at expensive banquets.
Along with shark fin, bluefin tuna will also fall under the ban, which was prompted by “conservation concerns.”
“The exclusion of these items from official menus is a start and also serves as an example of raising public education and awareness on sustainability,” a government spokesman said. “The government is determined to take the lead and set a good example on this front.”
Trade in shark fin is not regulated in Hong Kong except for three species — basking shark, great white shark and whale shark — where the trade is restricted under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Hong Kong is a signatory.
More than 70 million sharks are killed every year, with Hong Kong importing about 10,000 tons annually for the past decade, according to environmental group WWF.
Most of those fins are then exported to China’s mainland.
Shark conservationists applauded the government’s move saying it was a step toward ending the trade globally.
“Today’s decision is another important milestone towards ending shark mortality globally,” Program Manager at Hong Kong Shark Foundation Emma Kong said in a statement.
“After almost a decade of advocacy in the form of petitions, protest marches, letter writing and media campaigns, the Hong Kong government has finally seen fit to do the right thing — for which we applaud them,” said Alex Hofford, the executive director of Hong Kong-based marine conservation group MyOcean. “We hope the citizens of Hong Kong can follow suit and finally lay this abhorrent tradition to rest.”
“The announcement is particularly significant as Hong Kong is the world’s largest shark fin market, representing approximately 50 percent of the global trade” said Joshua Reichert, the executive vice president of the Pew Charitable Trusts.
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