Say No to Shark Fins

14 Dec 2010 - The continuing slaughter of sharks, known as finning (catching sharks, cutting off their fins and throwing them mortally wounded back into the sea) needs to stop. It is cruel, inhumane and not sustainable. In the area of my former office in Hong Kong there are many (dried) fish shops, and one can see the shark fins being laid out on the pavement to dry. The smell and sight of rotting flesh is not very pleasant. I learned that 50% - 80% of all shark fins in the shark fin trade still go through Hong Kong. In 2009 Hong Kong imported 9,300 tons of frozen or dried shark fins. Shark fin soup is still much in want, in particular for wedding banquets. However, sharks are slowly dying out which will have a devastating impact on the ecological system of our oceans, as sharks are often on top of the food chain. In the end the killing of sharks will come to haunt all of us. So please, don't order shark fin soup anymore.