Wildlife Summit Could Upend Hong Kong's Shark Fin Trade

Chanel News Asia ^ | 18 Nov 2022

[nickcarraway]

Hong Kong's controversial shark fin trade may face its biggest shakeup in years if conservationists get their way in securing tighter regulations at an international wildlife conference in Panama.

The city is one of the world's largest markets for shark fin, which is viewed by many Chinese communities as a delicacy and often served as a soup at expensive banquets.

While domestic consumption has shrunk after years of activist campaigning, Hong Kong remains a vital trading hub for shark fins - both legal and illegal - headed for the Chinese mainland and Southeast Asia.

[Jacob Kell]

IMO, shark fin soup is rather wasteful. Kill sharks only for their fins.

[Cowgirl]

It’s cruel too, they cut off their fins and throw them back in the ocean alive…disgusting.

[dayglored]

It's like rhinoceros horn. Stupid, wasteful, cruel, and inhumane.

Oh, and did I say stupid?

[dayglored]

And then there's Larks' tongues (the part of the bird, not the King Crimson album). The Lark has the most amazing and beautiful call and song, and can be trained to mimic a dozen other birds' calls and songs.

And thus the tongue of the Lark, as the instrument of this heavenly and glorious song, is cut out and served to humans as a delicacy.

Granted, the rest of the bird is also prized for its delicate flavor. But to cut out its tongue is particularly incomprehensible.