| In New York City's bustling Chinatown neighborhood, shoppers have a wide variety of dried shark fins to choose from. But at Po Wing Hong Food Market Inc., an immensely popular and long-standing grocery store, change appears to be afoot. Large glass jars in the store display dried shark fins in different colours and sizes, ranging from 70 to 300 dollars (USD) a pound. The fins are used to make shark's fin soup, considered a delicacy and a "status symbol" within the Chinese community. But the current stock of shark fins in this food market is likely to be the last. Nancy Ng, who has owned the store for 35 years, has stopped ordering further supplies and is phasing out shark fins. She pointed out that the shark fin prices have gone up considerably in the last few months while demand has faltered, especially for the most expensive varieties. In February, legislators in New York State introduced a bill that would ban the sale, trade, possession and distribution of shark fins. Margaret Chin, a New York City Council member and a Chinese American herself, has been lobbying with the Asian American community to gather support for the legislation. "Shark fin soup may be a time honoured tradition for a small group of people. But it has no place in today's society. I stand here today to say that I will not support the shark fin industry that thrives off cruelty and I call on the Asian American community in New York to stand with me," she told the gathering. Consumption of shark fins ... |
