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Campaign raises awareness about threat of fin soup

By Meng Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-20 10:02

The launch ceremony for National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Awareness Month was held in Beijing, one of the major shark fin consumption centers in China, on Sunday.

The national campaign initiated by the Aquatic Wild Fauna and Flora Administrative office under the Ministry of Agriculture involves more than 100 organizations across the country, including major aquariums, nature reserves and wildlife rescue centers.

Various activities will be held during the one-month campaign, aiming to raise awareness about aquatic wildlife conservation. Posters and documentaries featuring aquatic wildlife will also be shown in many aquariums all over China.

Although there are no accurate statistics to show how many shark fins have been consumed in Beijing, Steve Trent, president of WildAid, said the capital, along with Shanghai and Shenzhen, is one of main centers for shark fin consumption in China.

"People in big cities are more likely to be able to afford shark fins, which are quite expensive," Trent told METRO. He said that with the dramatic growth in the Chinese economy, more people in China are able to afford shark fins, which makes education in this field important.

Approximately 79 million sharks (about 1.73 tons) are killed each year to meet the increasing demand for shark fin soup. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness and understanding about shark conservation and shark fin consumption in China.

A survey conducted by WildAid and the China Wildlife Conservation Association in 16 cities found that 35.1 percent of those surveyed had consumed shark fin soup, but 76.3 percent did not even know it was made using sharks.

Trent said that the one-month campaign shows China's engagement in aquatic wildlife conservation and he is optimistic about the future.

"It's part of Chinese culture (to eat shark fin soup) and we don't expect it to change overnight," he said, adding that by encouraging people to think about the issue, many will make the right choice.

Blue Zoo Beijing, the first walk-through aquarium in Beijing, invited around 120 students to visit he aquarium on Monday, aiming to echo the launch ceremony.

Chang Ying, general manager of Blue Zoo Beijing, said summer is the season for aquariums and is the best time to hold the campaign, because many children will choose to visit aquariums.

"Adults may find it very difficult to change the long-established tradition while children can easily accept new knowledge. And once they realize it is wrong to trade aquatic wildlife, they will also pass the information to their parents," she said.

Chang added it may take a while for Chinese people to become aware the importance of aquatic wildlife because most people are removed from it in their daily lives.

"Aquariums are one of the best bridges for people to understand aquatic animals," said Chang.