Shark fin soup (or shark's fin soup) is a traditional soup or stewed dish found in Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is an important part of Chinese culture, which includes cuisine originating from the diverse regions of China, as well as from Chinese people in other parts of the world. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many ot…
What is so special about shark fin soup?
Do You Know The Truth Behind Shark Fin Soup?
- Ancient Chinese History Of Shark Fin Soup. Some Chinese lore would suggest that the origin of shark fin soup dates back to the Sung Dynasty around the 10th Century.
- Modern Chinese History Of Shark Fin Soup. ...
- A Truly Brutal Trade. ...
- The Myths Of Shark Fin Soup. ...
- Awareness Is Key To Ending Shark Finning. ...
What are the benefits of shark fin soup?
In addition to promoting our naturally attached fins policy, we:
- Work with regional fisheries management organizations and other international bodies on global management and trade measures.
- Provide technical support for countries’ conservation efforts.
- Support shark identification training and data collection workshops.
- Collaborate on research to achieve science-based management measures.
Is shark fin a kosher food?
In short, fins and scales. Deuteronomy, the fifth book in the Torah, lays out the letter of the law: “These you may eat of all that live in water: you may eat anything that has fins and scales. But you may not eat anything that has no fins and scales: it is unclean for you.” Is Shark Kosher? Fins — check! Scales? It’s complicated.
Is shark fin soup legal in USA?
Shark Fin Soup Sold in the US Currently, there are thirteen states and three US territories that control shark finning by banning the sale and possession of shark fins. Although the states have varied exceptions and statutory penalties for violations, all the bans make it unlawful for any person to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute shark fins within that jurisdiction.
Why is shark fin soup so special?
The dish is considered a luxury item embodying notions of hospitality, status and good fortune. The origin of the dish can be traced to the Emperor Taizu of the Northern Song, who reigned from 960-976. It is said that he established shark fin soup to showcase his power, wealth and generosity.
Why are shark fins so valuable?
Shark fins are tempting targets for fishermen because they have high monetary and cultural value . They are used in a popular dish called shark fin soup, which is a symbol of status in Chinese culture.
Why do Chinese people like shark fins?
The dish from ancient imperial China was popularized after the country's economy took off and a wealthy class emerged with a penchant for ostentatious displays of social status. Costly shark fin soup became a popular dish at weddings and banquets, and the oceans were exploited for this new fad.
Why is shark fin soup banned?
While the U.S. prohibits shark finning in federal waters, there is no nationwide ban on the sale of shark fins, fueling the global shark fin trade. Sharks are apex predators and crucial to a functioning marine ecosystem, yet a quarter of all shark and ray species are listed as threatened or endangered.
Do shark fins grow back?
MYTH: If a shark's fin is cut off, it will just grow back. Sharks cannot actually grow back fins that are cut off. (But some other fish can.) This biological fact is even more troublesome in light of the growing shark fin trade — especially in Asia, where the fins are a key ingredient in a pricey soup.
How much does a bowl of shark fin soup cost?
Fins can bring in hundreds of dollars on the market, with the average being about $450 per pound. A bowl of soup can cost $100. Shark fin soup has been considered a symbol of wealth and a delicacy in China since the Ming Dynasty.
Can you buy shark fin soup in the US?
Shark Fin Soup Sold in the US Although the states have varied exceptions and statutory penalties for violations, all the bans make it unlawful for any person to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute shark fins within that jurisdiction.
How much is shark fin worth?
Shark fins are among the most expensive seafood products, commonly retailing at US$400 per kg. In the United States, where finning is prohibited, some buyers regard the whale shark and the basking shark as trophy species, and pay $10,000 to $20,000 for a fin.
What country eats the most shark fins?
According a 2013 edition of the journal Marine Policy, around 100 million sharks are killed every year to satisfy the demand for shark fin and meat. Hong Kong is one of the world's biggest shark fin trading hubs, and makes up 50 per cent of the global shark fin trade.
What do shark fins taste like?
Taste. The taste of the soup comes from the broth, as the fins themselves are almost tasteless. Rather than for taste, the fins are used for their "snappy, gelatinous" texture, which has been described as "chewy, sinewy, stringy".
Can a shark survive without its fin?
The shark is usually still alive when it goes back into the water. It can't swim without its fins, and it slowly sinks toward the ocean bottom, where it suffocates or is eaten alive by other fish. Why do fishermen do it? Shark fins are used to make shark fin soup, a delicacy in China.
Is shark fin legal to eat?
But that would be against state law. California is one of 12 states that bans the sale of shark fins—measures to help prevent further declines of shark populations and to deter finning, which has been illegal in U.S. waters since 2000.
Preparation
Traditional shark fin soup or stew is made with fins obtained from a variety of shark species. Raw fins are processed by first removing the skin and denticles before trimming them into shapes and bleaching to a more desirable coloration.
Taste
The taste of the soup comes from the broth, as the fins themselves are almost tasteless. Rather than for taste, the fins are used for their "snappy, gelatinous" texture, which has been described as "chewy, sinewy, stringy". Krista Mahr of Time called it "somewhere between chewy and crunchy".
Health impact
Shark fins are believed in Chinese culture to have properties of boosting sexual potency, enhancing skin quality, increasing qi or energy, preventing heart disease, and lowering cholesterol.
Ethical and environmental concerns
Shark fins used in the soup are the cartilaginous dorsal, pectoral and caudal fins. These are regularly harvested by a process known as shark finning, which takes only the fins and discards the carcass, alive or dead. Overfishing poses a major threat to the world's shark populations.
Campaigns
The marine conservation organization Bite-Back has campaigned against the sale of shark fin soup in Britain. On the back of its campaigning, the London-based Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Hakkasan agreed to stop selling the controversial soup.
Imitation shark fin soup
A batch of defrosted imitation shark fin; it imitates the real shark fins in appearance and gelatinous texture and it, along with julienned konjac gel, commonly used since the late-20th century as popular alternatives to them even before being banned due to being less expensive than the actual shark fins.
Ancient Chinese History Of Shark Fin Soup
Some Chinese lore would suggest that the origin of shark fin soup dates back to the Sung Dynasty around the 10th Century. The story describes an emperor who used shark fin soup as a means of exhibiting his power and wealth.
Modern Chinese History Of Shark Fin Soup
By the early 19th Century, living conditions in China had begun to improve across the board, along with technological advancements. With these developments, the popularity and availability of shark fin soup spiked, and the acquisition of shark fins for cooking purposes became a priority of the upper and lower classes alike.
A Truly Brutal Trade
Understanding the history and demand of shark fin consumption is key in addressing the issue, but it’s also important to emphasize how brutal the practice of harvesting fins really is. For the early part of the soup’s history, the entire shark was caught in the process of bringing the meal to the table.
The Myths Of Shark Fin Soup
The myth proliferates throughout Chinese culture and tradition that shark fin soup provides some medicinal benefits. Scientific research has proven those claims to be unfounded and untrue. In fact, shark fin soup is poorer in vitamin content than vegetable soup, and any vitamins shark fins do contain are abundantly available in most other foods.
Awareness Is Key To Ending Shark Finning
With all of this information together, it becomes clear that shark finning is not only abhorrent in its cruelty, but its product is also not safe for any individual, or for the environment. Raising awareness is a huge factor in ending the practice forever.
History
Shark fin soup was a favorite of the royals of the Ming Dynasty as well as those of the Qing Dynasty. Though previously its use was primarily restricted to the royals, nobles, and wealthy merchants, in the 18th and 19th Centuries, the use of shark fin soup became more widespread among the Chinese population.
Taste and Popularity
Shark fin soup is a popular dish in many Chinese restaurants around the world. In China, a survey conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) revealed that nearly 83% of the participants had consumed shark fin soup at some point in their lifetime.
Health Impacts
Though the traditional Chinese medicine claims that the shark fins have innumerable health benefits, modern scientific research suggests otherwise. Only a single study on the effect of shark fin on cancer has been conducted which has proven the inefficacy of the shark fin in curing cancer.
Environmental Impacts and Animal Cruelty
Very little attention is paid to animal welfare in the extraction of fins from sharks. Sharks that are caught from the ocean are hauled up on the boats or ships where their fins are cut and then the animal, writhing in pain, is thrown back into the ocean, left to die, unable to swim, hunt, and survive.
Traditional History Of Shark Fin Soup
In China, shark fin soup originated during the Ming dynasty around the 14th Century. Initially it was a rare delicacy only enjoyed by the nobility and aristocracy. Sharks were rare and hard to catch so it was only served on special occasions and to honored guests.
Shark Fin Soup As Traditional Medicine
The popularity only increased as shark fin soup became part of Chinese traditional medicine. Shark fins are believed to prevent cancer, heart disease, and lower cholesterol. They are also thought to help rejuvenate the body, improving the quality of the skin. Shark fin soup is also used to help improve appetite and boost sexual potency.
Demand For Shark Fin Soup
With its long cultural heritage and perceived medicinal value, the demand for shark fin soup has been steadily increasing. In 2001, demand for shark fins had double and grown steadily at 5% every year. This demand has increased as the Chinese middle class has grown. This demand has lead to the brutal slaughter of millions of sharks every year.
The Brutal Practice of Shark Finning
Every year an estimated 70-100 million sharks are caught for their shark fin. The practice of shark finning is incredibly cruel. Shark are caught with longlines, gillnets, and spears. The sharks are then brought onto the boat where without water, they begin to suffocate. The fisherman then cut off their fins, while the sharks are still alive.
Motivated By Profit
Why do people participate in such a cruel practice? The demand and prestige of shark fins make finning incredibly profitable. It is estimated that the global shark fin trade is valued at $1.2 billion dollars. Shark fins themselves cost $400 per kilogram.
Challenges To Conservation Efforts
Outside of shark finning being incredibly profitable, it is hard to get people to care about sharks. Many people are ignorant about the importance of sharks. A lot of people believe that sharks are dangerous to humans and should be killed. They also believe what happens in the oceans has no impact on us.
Why Conservation Matters
Shark finning puts all types of sharks in danger of extinction. Sharks are apex predators, they are literally at the top of the oceanic food chain. Without sharks, the ocean food chain will be thrown off balance. Sharks act to keep marine life healthy by preying on weak, sick, or injured fish.
Overview
Shark fin soup is a traditional soup or stewed dish served in parts of China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. The shark fins provide texture, while the taste comes from the other soup ingredients. It is commonly served at special occasions such as weddings and banquets, or as a luxury item.
The soup originated centuries ago during the Song dynasty in China, serving th…
Preparation
Traditional shark fin soup or stew is made with fins obtained from a variety of shark species. Raw fins are processed by first removing the skin and denticles before trimming them into shapes and bleaching to a more desirable coloration.
Sharks' fins are sold dried, cooked, wet, and frozen. Ready-to-eat shark fin soup is also readily available in Asian markets.
Taste
The taste of the soup comes from the broth, as the fins themselves are almost tasteless. Rather than for taste, the fins are used for their "snappy, gelatinous" texture, which has been described as "chewy, sinewy, stringy". Krista Mahr of Time called it "somewhere between chewy and crunchy".
Health impact
Shark fins are believed in Chinese culture to have properties of boosting sexual potency, enhancing skin quality, increasing qi or energy, preventing heart disease, and lowering cholesterol. In traditional Chinese medicine, shark fins are believed to help in areas of rejuvenation, appetite enhancement, and blood nourishment and to be beneficial to vital energy, kidneys, lungs, bones, and many other part…
Market and demand
Shark fin soup has a long history, but is declining in popularity.
Shark fin soup was reported in Ming dynasty writings and by the Qing dynasty was considered a "a traditional part of formal banquets"; in Chinese cuisine, it was considered to be one of the eight treasured foods from the sea. It was popular with Chinese emperors because it was rare, and tasty only after a complicate…
Ethical and environmental concerns
Shark fins used in the soup are the cartilaginous dorsal, pectoral and caudal fins. These are regularly harvested by a process known as shark finning, which takes only the fins and discards the carcass, alive or dead. Overfishing poses a major threat to the world's shark populations.
Some groups, such as Fins Attached, Shark Savers, IUCN, Shark Angels, Shark …
Campaigns
The marine conservation organization Bite-Back has campaigned against the sale of shark fin soup in Britain. On the back of its campaigning, the London-based Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Hakkasan agreed to stop selling the controversial soup. High-profile names such as Gordon Ramsay, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and Charles Clover, author of The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat, have lent their support to the charity's 'Hack…
Imitation shark fin soup
Imitation shark fin soup is a noodle soup often sold in small bowls by street vendors in Hong Kong, where it is a common street snack. It is a substitute for shark fin soup. Imitation shark fin soup is also a more affordable alternative to shark fin soup.
A popular, low-cost imitation shark fin soup (碗仔翅) made using vermicelli is w…
History
Taste and Popularity
- Shark fin soup is a popular dish in many Chinese restaurants around the world. In China, a survey conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) revealed that nearly 83% of the participants had consumed shark fin soup at some point in their lifetime. Those who have tasted the shark fin soup claim that it is virtually tasteless but has a soft, sm...
Health Impacts
- Though the traditional Chinese medicine claims that the shark fins have innumerable health benefits, modern scientific research suggests otherwise. Only a single study on the effect of shark fin on cancer has been conducted which has proven the inefficacy of the shark fin in curing cancer. Research has also proven that the shark fins are not nutritionally rich and almost devoid …
Environmental Impacts and Animal Cruelty
- Very little attention is paid to animal welfare in the extraction of fins from sharks. Sharks that are caught from the ocean are hauled up on the boats or ships where their fins are cut and then the animal, writhing in pain, is thrown back into the ocean, left to die, unable to swim, hunt, and survive. This also threatens the survival of sharks and decimates shark populations in great nu…