“During the inspection, Texas Game Wardens located 381 whole shark fins and an additional 29.2 lbs of frozen shark fins inside of the restaurant’s commercial freezer.
Is shark fin soup still eaten?
“While consumers in mainland China have changed their behavior in response to awareness campaigns and a government banquet ban, shark fin soup remains on the menu in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and consumption is growing in places like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Macau,” said WildAid chief executive Peter Knights.
Are shark fins illegal in Texas?
Shark finning — the practice of removing shark fins at sea and discarding the rest of the shark — is illegal in the United States, and the selling of shark fins is illegal in Texas. The Texas ban passed after the state “emerged as a hub for shark fins,” according to marine conservation nonprofit Oceana.
Why do restaurants not serve shark fin soup?
Continued demand for shark fin soup, dumplings, and other shark fin dishes served in restaurants around the world perpetuates the practice of finning, a cruel practice in which the sharks are brought on board to have their fins sliced off—often while the shark is alive, after which the shark is tossed overboard to die
Why do they cut shark fins off?
The practice is not only gruesome, but dangerously efficient. Dumping the bodies and leaving the fins to dry on deck frees up freezer space, which fishermen can save for more valuable meats like swordfish and tuna. It’s like cutting off your limbs and leaving you to bleed to death.
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.
What does shark fin taste like?
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”.
Why are shark fins illegal in Texas?
They love our oceans. And so we want to do whatever we can to protect them,” Winters said. Shark ‘finning’ has been illegal in Texas for years, Winters said, because it is a waste of resources and a threat to the ecosystem.
Is shark fin soup illegal in Texas?
Even though finning is illegal in the United States, the trade in shark fins is not, which is why 13 states, including Texas, have banned the sale and possession of the products.
Can sharks survive without fins?
Without their fins, sharks can not swim and suffer from significant blood loss. They ultimately starve to death or are slowly eaten by other fish. Most drown because sharks need to keep moving to force water through their gills for oxygen.
What is shark meat called in restaurants?
This meat is prepared and served in many ways and under various names. Species such as mako, thresher, and blacktip are among those that are fished for their meat. Alternate names for shark meat include flake, dogfish, grayfish, and whitefish.
What does shark taste like?
Think alligator and chicken. Depending on who is doing the dining, shark meat tastes like chicken — or roadkill. It’s meaty and mild — but has to be soaked well before it’s eaten because sharks urinate through their skin.
What states is shark fin soup illegal?
As of 2022, 14 U.S. states and 3 U.S. territories have banned the sale and possession of shark fins:
- American Samoa.
- California.
- Delaware.
- Florida.
- Guam.
- Hawaii.
- Illinois.
- Maryland.
What country kills the most sharks?
The top 10 shark fishing nations, in order, are: Indonesia, India, Spain, Taiwan, Argentina, Mexico, Pakistan, the United States, Japan, and Malaysia, with Thailand, France, Brazil, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Portugal, Nigeria, Iran, the United Kingdom, and South Korea following, comprising the top 20 fishing nations.
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.
Is shark finning painful?
It is the gruesome practice of cutting off a live shark’s fins and throwing the rest of the animal back into the sea, where it dies a slow and painful death. The fins are used in China and Hong Kong, and by Chinese communities elsewhere in the world, as the key ingredient in shark-fin soup.
Is shark fin soup illegal in USA?
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.
Why do they eat shark fin soup?
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.
What shark is used for shark fin soup?
The preferred shark species are the hammerhead, the mako, and the blue, mentioned above, and the tope or soupfin, Galeorhinus galeus.
Why is shark meat poisonous?
Sharks have been found to contain the highest concentrations of methyl-mercury than any other seafood due to bioaccumulation and their place at the top of the food chain. Cooking does not eliminate mercury.
Who eats shark fins?
Shark fin soup has long been a status dish in Asian countries, notably China, where its use can be traced back to an emperor from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) who is thought to have invented the dish to show off his power and wealth.