Saturday, May 10, 2008
Shark’s fin: Singapore takes a much bigger bite. (The Straits Times, 10 May 2008)
It has come as a terrible shock to me that Singaporeans have increased their consumption of shark’s fin by an astounding 158% from 2006. This revelation comes as an even greater blow after 4 years of decline. Did people suddenly wake up one day and inexplicably decide that the plight of sharks is passé? Or is it no longer fashionable to lobby for the lives of these magnificent creatures?
I was appalled and stunned to read such flippant remarks like “it adds more class”, “without it, they would lose face” and “I would even have a second helping”. The fact that these comments were made by people who are clearly educated and who are patently aware of how the fins are cruelly and wastefully harvested makes it all the more distressing and outrageous. I am completely bewildered as to how the conclusion that tasteless and gelatinous strands of cartilage, that have no scientifically proven medicinal value, adds class and gives face was drawn? I do not mean to sound patronising, but if class is so sought after, perhaps serving only the best champagne, truffles and deserts laced with gold leaf would satisfy that need. I am confident that this gesture would bestow great face and honour onto the elders. If serving shark’s fin soup is supposed to be an extravagant show of wealth and generosity, wouldn’t the above suggestion be an unparalleled display that would leave the guests extremely happy and hungry for a second helping? People may argue that it is a centuries old custom to serve shark’s fin to wedding dinner guests. But one has to accept that customs do change as the years roll by. In the past it was custom to not have a bath or shower everyday, but that custom no longer holds any water today. It was also customary to bind girls’ feet in the past, but that custom died out too, because it fell out of fashion and was viewed as an excruciatingly painful and cruel exercise. So isn’t it about time that we let this unnecessary and honestly senseless custom meet its end too?
It is indeed disheartening that Singapore, a developed nation on its way to attaining First World status, and its citizens are not heeding the call to help end this trade. Despite the numerous attempts to educate the public through posters, news and magazine articles, documentaries and even movies, it seems the sharks are fighting a losing battle. I understand that it may be difficult to change the mindset of the older generation, but if we appeal to their sense of compassion, and gently explain the current situation and try to dissuade them of this obsession with shark’s fin, we might affect a change in their attitude. We must also persist in educating the younger generation about the detrimental impact that this practice entails.
The numbers are truly mindboggling, between 40 million to 70 million sharks are killed for their fins annually, all because of a little intangible thing called face. Even Mr Dennis Yeo, director of Chin Guan Hong (Sharksfin) has admitted that “Globally, there are fewer sharks in our waters that can be hunted now”. Isn’t it about time that we take a stand and pledge not to consume or purchase shark’s fin. In doing so, the simple laws of economics will automatically apply, low demand equals low supply and hopefully the hunting of sharks will be greatly reduced and maybe even abandoned altogether. We are veritably upsetting the oceans’ delicate ecological system with these alarmingly numbers. Some people may be unperturbed because it does not affect them directly. But take heed Newton’s Law, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. We may not feel the reverberations of our actions in our lifetime, but our children and our children’s children will have to face the brunt of the consequences if changes are not made soon.
I was appalled and stunned to read such flippant remarks like “it adds more class”, “without it, they would lose face” and “I would even have a second helping”. The fact that these comments were made by people who are clearly educated and who are patently aware of how the fins are cruelly and wastefully harvested makes it all the more distressing and outrageous. I am completely bewildered as to how the conclusion that tasteless and gelatinous strands of cartilage, that have no scientifically proven medicinal value, adds class and gives face was drawn? I do not mean to sound patronising, but if class is so sought after, perhaps serving only the best champagne, truffles and deserts laced with gold leaf would satisfy that need. I am confident that this gesture would bestow great face and honour onto the elders. If serving shark’s fin soup is supposed to be an extravagant show of wealth and generosity, wouldn’t the above suggestion be an unparalleled display that would leave the guests extremely happy and hungry for a second helping? People may argue that it is a centuries old custom to serve shark’s fin to wedding dinner guests. But one has to accept that customs do change as the years roll by. In the past it was custom to not have a bath or shower everyday, but that custom no longer holds any water today. It was also customary to bind girls’ feet in the past, but that custom died out too, because it fell out of fashion and was viewed as an excruciatingly painful and cruel exercise. So isn’t it about time that we let this unnecessary and honestly senseless custom meet its end too?
It is indeed disheartening that Singapore, a developed nation on its way to attaining First World status, and its citizens are not heeding the call to help end this trade. Despite the numerous attempts to educate the public through posters, news and magazine articles, documentaries and even movies, it seems the sharks are fighting a losing battle. I understand that it may be difficult to change the mindset of the older generation, but if we appeal to their sense of compassion, and gently explain the current situation and try to dissuade them of this obsession with shark’s fin, we might affect a change in their attitude. We must also persist in educating the younger generation about the detrimental impact that this practice entails.
The numbers are truly mindboggling, between 40 million to 70 million sharks are killed for their fins annually, all because of a little intangible thing called face. Even Mr Dennis Yeo, director of Chin Guan Hong (Sharksfin) has admitted that “Globally, there are fewer sharks in our waters that can be hunted now”. Isn’t it about time that we take a stand and pledge not to consume or purchase shark’s fin. In doing so, the simple laws of economics will automatically apply, low demand equals low supply and hopefully the hunting of sharks will be greatly reduced and maybe even abandoned altogether. We are veritably upsetting the oceans’ delicate ecological system with these alarmingly numbers. Some people may be unperturbed because it does not affect them directly. But take heed Newton’s Law, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. We may not feel the reverberations of our actions in our lifetime, but our children and our children’s children will have to face the brunt of the consequences if changes are not made soon.
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