Shark fin imports to Hong Kong tumble after airlines refuse to carry them

Shark fin imports to Hong Kong have fallen by up to 30 per cent since the launch of a campaign to stop airlines and shipping lines bringing in the controver- sial product, says an industry spokesman.

Ricky Leung Lak-kee, chairman of the Hong Kong Marine Products Association, told the Sunday Morning Post the shark fin industry had been hit hard by the campaign launched last year, combined with an economic slowdown and the mainland's anti-corruption campaign.

He accused the coalition of 60 green groups behind the campaign of putting fishermen out of work. "They protect the shark but they never think about the livelihood of these poor people," he said.

Hong Kong is the global hub for the trade - which environmentalists say encourages the cruel practice of finning and puts shark populations at risk. The city imported 1,162 tonnes of shark fins in 2012, according to government figures, roughly half the world's harvest.

A letter-writing campaign by a coalition of environmentalists, including representatives from Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd and the Humane Society International, has led to airlines including Qantas and Air New Zealand introducing total bans on shark fins, while Cathay Pacific has said it would now only carry shark fins from sustainable sources. Middle Eastern airline Emirates last week became the latest carrier to announce a total ban on shark fin cargoes, and the campaigners say at least two major shipping lines have announced they will no longer carry the product.

Leung said: "Since the environmentalists launched their very critical attacks on the industry … the import of shark fin has been reduced by between 20 and 30 per cent. The industry is having a very hard time and some people are leaving their jobs.

"The impact is enormous. The drop is not only due to the campaign, it is also due to the very weak economy in Hong Kong and in China, so demand for shark fin has dropped."