Hawaii has become the first state in the nation to ban the sale, trade or distribution of shark fins. The new legislation came into effect last week when Hawaii’s Governor Linda Lingle signed a bill supporting the ban on shark fin soup.
Shark fin soup is the primary reason why sharks are disappearing worldwide. Shark fin is a tasteless and non-nutritious ingredient of a popular soup served primarily at weddings and banquets within Asian communities for its traditional image of promoting health and prosperity and reflecting the status of the hosts. Unfortunately, the consumption of shark fin soup has skyrocketed in recent decades as China has become more prosperous.
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I would have expected that move to come from the west coast before Hawaii. Hopefully, the other states will follow suit. Everyone talks about what a bad practice "finning" is, but very little is actually done to stop it. Kudos to Hawaii for its leadership.
written by Randy , June 19, 2011