KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (7 Aug 2004) -- Shark fin soup has brought "good face" to Chinese wedding banquets for a thousand years, but conservation awareness is beginning to dim its appeal. When Yap Kim Leong, 28, got married last year, the first course at the dinner was a soup of crab meat, rather than the traditional shark fin. A few friends were surprised when they found out months later, he said, because they could not tell the difference. "That is partly why I chose not to serve it. I feel it is overrated. Nothing special. I wanted to send a message." Conservation groups have been targeting consumers of wild animal meats and parts, campaigning with the tagline, "When the buying stops, the killing can, too". The campaign, shown on wildlife and natural history channels on satellite TV, seems to have had some effect here. Shark fin has been a luxury for the privileged in southern China since the Sung dynasty in 960AD. Its meat, liver and other parts are also eaten or used in beauty aids, but it is the fin that commands high prices, fetching up to US$564 (RM2,140) a kilo. Still, shark fin remains a feature of most wedding banquets because conservation takes a back seat to tradition. Yap, for instance, gave in to his parents over a dinner they hosted for relatives, despite his conscience. "I had to give and take, I guess." Hotel catering staff have noticed that more Chinese couples are opting for other choices, although some say it could be due to budget constraints. Prior to this, shark fin was rarely off the menu, said Eastin Hotel assistant catering sales manager Liwan Low. This year, however, several couples have done the same route as Yap. So also have companies and associations. Serving shark fin "is against their policy", she said. At Inti College dinners, hot and sour Szechuan soup is likely to be the first course, or sometimes "egg treasure" soup. | | For Chinese, status trumps conservation Senior vice-president Dr Lee Fah Onn stopped consuming shark fin eight years ago, feeling its status as a delicacy was undeserved and to support the conservation of endangered species. The 64-year-old said the fins had "no nutritional value" and "no taste". "Scientifically, it is just cartilage. It is the broth which holds the flavour," he said. His stand has influenced other senior staff at Inti College, who now avoid ordering shark fin when they host lunches or dinners. Network system support consultant Thoo Mui Yen, 26, and her siblings have refused it at weddings, which has earned disapproving looks from some relatives. "They say it's already (served) so they might as well eat it. But I say if you do not eat it, people will stop serving." Sara Ng, 28, will be serving it at her wedding dinner later this year, out of respect for her in-laws. It is not without regret. A recreational scuba diver, she hopes this generation of Chinese will put an end to the tradition. "We already have the basic dishes to signify prosperity and happiness, so shark fin really does not mean anything." Still she intends to at least give like-minded dinner guests a choice. "I do feel a bit helpless, but I plan to at least separate the shark fin from the soup." SOURCE - New Straits Times |
