An international environment conservation organization has
called for China to raise public awareness on the need to protect
the ocean's shark population, as its latest survey shows Chinese
know little of the negative environmental impact of consuming shark
fin soup.
WildAid, the organization based in San Francisco, is worried
that public ignorance will cause the demand for shark fin to
continue to surge in China.
More than 100 million sharks are killed every year, most have
only their fins cut off. The global shark stock has declined 80
percent over the past 50 years due to over-fishing.
Shark fin soup has been considered a delicacy in China for
centuries. Although the fin is essentially tasteless, the dish is
associated with privilege and social rank and is usually served at
banquets to impress guests.
Research shows that the fins contains heavy metals such as
mercury, which can cause damage to the nervous system and male
infertile.
However, the survey, carried out by the Social Survey Institute
of China (SSIC) from November 2005 to February 2006 in Beijing,
Shanghai and Guangzhou among shark fin consumers, providers and
journalists, showed the public knows little of how shark fins are
harvested, their low nutritional value, or the wastage and cruelty
associated with the trade.
They have even less understanding of the negative environmental
impact associated with loss of sharks or the potential damaging
effects of eating shark, said Liu Zhong, an SSIC survey
consultant.
"As China is the world's major shark fin consumer, public
ignorance is very dangerous to protect the shark species whose
population have kept dwindling due to over-fishing," said Steve
Trend, WildAid's chairman.
The soaring demand of shark fin on the international market has
surged beyond sustainable levels, said Trend.
Shark fin is among the most expensive seafood products in the
world, with prices reaching up to 500 euros per kilogram. The
annual world trade is estimated to exceed 10,000 tons and China is
the largest importer, accounting for half of the world market,
according to a WildAid report.
"We know it's hard to change consumer habits in a short time,
but the Chinese government should carry out massive public
education to make consumers aware of the problems related to shark
fin consumption," said Trend.
What's more, the government should develop a shark management
plan and to improve international cooperation on shark conservation
and management, he said.
Li Yanliang, deputy general director of the Aquatic Wild Fauna
and Flora Administrative Office under the Ministry of Agriculture,
told a press conference in January that China's catching, import
and export of sharks is conducted strictly in accordance with
international laws.
Li said the Chinese government encourages a "rational and
sustained" development of fish resources and the overall use of
sharks and bans the partial use of sharks. In addition, China is
considering listing some endangered sharks as protected animals,
according to Li.
A national lawmaker proposed during the annual parliament
session in March that government officials should wipe shark fin
off their reception menus before the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
to help impress foreign visitors with a favorable national
image.
"Serving shark fin to foreign guests during the Olympic Games
could greatly hurt China's national image, and officials should
start to remove the dish from the dining table right now," said Xu
Zhihong, president of the prestigious Beijing University.
(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2007)
