A woman walks past shark fins drying on a road in Hong Kong on July 30, 2014. Photo: CFP

At banquets and weddings in China, shark fin soup is sometimes served to "give face" to honored guests. The soup, considered a delicacy, is controversial and is banned in many countries but remains legal in some Asian countries including China. 

The harvesting of shark fins is brutal. Shark finning requires a fisherman to haul a shark from the ocean, slice its fins off, and then throw the rest of the shark - often still alive - back into the ocean. This leaves the shark with not only gaping, mortal wounds, but also with no ability to swim. The wounded shark will die a painful death. It is estimated that fishermen kill between 26 million and 73 million sharks every year for their fins. 

China is one of the world's biggest markets for shark fins, but conservationists say that the booming demand for fins from China's growing middle class has put pressure on global shark populations, prompting calls for measures to restrict the trade. Despite these campaigns, shark fins remain popular in restaurants and supermarkets.

In July 2012, the State Council of China announced that it would publish regulations within the next three years aimed at banning shark fins from official banquets.

Retired NBA star Yao Ming is a vocal activist on this issue. He has stated publically many times that anyone consuming or purchasing shark fins is implicated in the decimation of global shark populations.

 Shark conservation experts say that shark fins have little nutritional value and that there are even some proven health dangers to ingesting their fins.

Sharks are (like tuna and other large fish) apex predators in the food chain that live long lives, meaning that their flesh often contains high levels of mercury. This can pose health risks to those that eat them, especially children, the elderly, and pregnant women.

Global Times

A shark is cut into pieces to be sold in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Photo: IC

 

Shark fins on sale at a store in Hong Kong's Sheung Wan district, March 21. Photo: IC 

 

A waitress serves shark fin soup to customers in a restaurant in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Photo:CFP 

 

A supermarket selling shark meat in Zhengzhou, Henan Province Photo: CFP