Chinese Speak Out for Sharks

Chinese Speak Out for Sharks

Shark Fins are in the news and it is a controversial topic pitting ecosystem and animal protection against cultural values.

Despite Dr. Giam Choo Hoo's denial that shark finning is a problem and the trade is not overfishing sharks, there is a global movement beginnning to appreciate the importance of sharks and stop the harmful shark fin trade.  Despite that Dr. Hoo participates on CITES and well knows that these agreements are international, non binding and subject to pressure from large powerful nations with fishing interests, he argues that only a few listed species of sharks are endangered because only a few are listed. Dr. Hoo's criticism of racism are as specious as his allegations that there are no other movements to protect species associated with other cultures or nations.  How about whaling in Antarctica and the Faroes, the Canadia Harp Seal hunt, Taijii dolphin massacres?  This circular reasoning and the fact that Dr. Hoo (A Veternarian, not a scientist)  is well known to be associated with the shark fin interests in Singapore reduce his credibility to that of his limited arguments.

Chinese all over the world, including China are now speaking up for sharks.  Lets take this agrument away from the people profting and stand up for sharks for all cultures, before its too late.

New York, Texas, Illinois, Maryland and Florida are joining in the effort to limit the trade and stop selling the blood diamonds of the sea. 

From our partner the Humane Society US.

Please find attached, the PDFs of the New York Times print story and final press release – linkable online version here.

CNN Report: Scientists Say Millions of Sharks are Killed Each Year to Make Shark Fin Soup

New York Times: Bill in Albany Would Ban Sale of Shark Fins

Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Move to Sink Shark-Fin Soup (a shorter version ran in print)

AFP: New York Eyes Shark Fin Trade Ban

Washington Post: Is the Shark Fin Ban Culturally Biased?

Gothamist: Shark Fin Soup May Be Sunk in New York

Crain’s New York: Should New York state ban shark fin sales?

Huffington Post: Shark Fin Ban Likely to Be Approved in New York State

Blog by Jupp from SRI: Shark Fin Legislation – Long Overdue

Chinese media – The World Journal and China Press stories were distributed internationally on major Chinese media wires including the state-owned Xinhua news wire and Sina Weibo news site. Here are links to some of the primary coverage. The Sinovision TV story and Chinese radio stories are not available online.

World Journal: Grace Meng Sponsors Bill to Ban Trade in Shark Fin

Sing Tao: Animal Advocacy Groups Urge Public to Support Shark Fin Ban Bill

Ming Pao: Grace Meng Sponsors Bill to Ban Shark Fin

China Press: State Assembly Members Sponsor Bill to Ban Shark Fin Bill

New Tang Dynasty TV: State Assembly Members Sponsors Bill to Ban Shark Fin Trade

Epoch Times: Banning Shark Fin Trade, New York Assembly Members Sponsor Bill