Environmental campaigns

Shark fin soup 鱼翅汤 originated during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in China.Kwang-Chih Chang, Food in Chinese Culture: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives,p. 154-155. In this period, it was mostly served to the Chinese imperial family and court members. Since shark fins were a rare ingredient, shark fin soup was considered to be a delicacy and in the following dynasties the popularity of this soup increased highly.

The name is a tell-tale for one of the main ingredients of the soup: shark fins, which provide the slippery and gelatinous texture of the soup. In imperial China, the soup was often consumed during feasts, and during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) it was even considered as one of the eight treasures from the sea.Fao.org Consumption of shark fin soup was, at this time, still small-scale.

Adding shark fins creates a thicker soup, and since the fins are tasteless, they can enhance and absorb the flavor of the broth and other ingredients. Normally, it is seen as a luxurious dish and it is thus often eaten during special occasions. In Chinese culture, it is believed that shark fins are beneficial to one’s health, with its positive effects ranging from improving sexual potency to combating cancer. See Telegraph

In the late-20th century, shark fin soup became a popular delicacy in China and was also eaten in Chinese restaurants around the world. See ABC News As the living standard of people began to improve, the popularity of shark fin soup increased. Due to this high demand of shark fins, the trade increased at a rapid pace.

The impact on sharks following this increase in popularity became very significant. In order to make money, fishers started to harvest the fins from living sharks, which came to be known as shark finning. The fins were cut off from the sharks, who were then released back in the water.

In order to cut down on shark fin soup consumption, environmental campaigns started to speak about the ethical concerns of shark finning. Chinese basketball player Yao Ming became an ambassador for WildAid and started to appear in ads to end the consumption of shark fin soup. See WildAid

Besides ethical issues, research into medical issues concerning the consumption of shark fin soup also popped up. Shark tissues may, for instance, contain large amounts of the harmful, neurotoxic amino acid BMAASee Wendee Holcman, Shark Fin Consumption May Expose People to Neurotoxic BMAA

Many governments around the globe have thus decided to ban shark finning and the consumption of shark fins. However, the fake variants of the soup remain popular within Chinese-Indonesian cuisine in the Netherlands.