Chinese Community Attacks Proposed Shark Fin Ban

Tuesday, 15 February 2011 | by Pat's Picks

The menus at California’s Chinese restaurants will look a little different if lawmakers get their way says the San Francisco Chronicle. A proposed ban on the sale of shark fin has created an “an emotional debate” between Asian communities and conservationists. The bill would make it illegal to buy the delicacy, which is the cornerstone of shark fin soup, “a tradition at banquets among Chinese people around the world.” Scientists believe the practice of finning a shark—cutting off their fins and then throwing them back in the water to die—has led to the sharp decline of the worldwide shark population. Hawaii implemented a similar ban last year.