Saying no to shark fin
I am writing to express my view on The Peninsula hotel deciding to take shark fin dishes off its menu from the start of next year. I think other top hotels are likely to follow suit.
Shark fin is becoming less popular now. Shark fin was commonly served at parties because the older generation thought it was a symbol of wealth. But the younger generation has a different mindset, and wants to be environmentally friendly. Instead of having shark fin, hotels should be more innovative with their menus, and use bird's nest or abalone as alternatives.
Moreover, taking shark fin dishes off the menu will lower production costs. Shark fin is a costly ingredient, and cooking shark fin dishes is time-consuming.
Finally, hotels can enhance their reputation by not offering dishes that contain shark fins. Nowadays, many green groups are urging hotels and restaurants to stop selling shark fin delicacies.
It is clearly beneficial in many different ways for top hotels to stop serving shark fin.
Bobo Tam
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Bobo. It was good news indeed to see The Peninsula's bold move, and I am sure green groups in Hong Kong see this as a cause for celebration. You are quite right when you say that younger people are environmentally conscious. Just judging by the letters that come into Young Post's mailbox, we can see that many students are very concerned about the environment.
As these eco-warriors mature and become decision-makers, they are more likely to move away from dishes like shark fin as they do not attach as much value to it as older people do. Hopefully, readers will pledge never to eat shark fin from this day onward. When the buying stops, the killing can stop, too.
Susan, Editor
