As a Chinese American (even though I’ve personally never had the soup), this problem hits close to home. The reason the shark fin trade is so lucrative in places like China is because of the massive demand, which is interesting because the shark fin itself has no flavor and serves only to thicken the soup. The real flavor comes from the broth, and the shark fin can easily be substituted for sustainable options like scallops or even mushrooms, which have the same gelatinous texture.

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