Dear Shark Friends:

Today, opposition to the shark fin ban brought in 300+ people to protest against the ban. The Council vote has been delayed to tomorrow (Tuesday October 25).

We ABSOLUTELY need your help to come out at 8:00AM tomorrow (Tuesday October 25) to City Hall to stand up for sharks! Despite the shark fin ban passing unanimously at the Licensing & Standards Committee, your support tomorrow morning is ESSENTIAL to the ban passing Council. It is also extremely important to email the Mayor and the Councillors if you haven’t already done so.

Thank you for your continued support and I hope to see everyone tomorrow morning. Dress warmly!

Cheers,
Glenn

Related links:

Global Toronto (Oct 24, 2011): 200 gather at City Hall to protest the expected ban of shark fins

The Globe and Mail (Oct 24, 2011): Toronto shark fin ban draws mounting opposition ahead of vote

The Macau-born man who spearheaded the successful campaign to ban shark’s fin soup in California says it is time for Hong Kong to do the same.

Earlier this month, Californian lawmaker Paul Fong’s bill banning shark fin trade was approved by the state’s governor, Jerry Brown.

“Hopefully this gives a message Hong Kong should think about it too,” said the assemblyman, 59, who moved overseas when he was three. “Taiwan is thinking about it and the ultimate goal is for the mainland to ban it. That would be a huge coup but Hong Kong will have to go first.”

California joined three other US states where shark’s fin is banned – Hawaii, Oregon and Washington – effectively closing off the west coast as a port, distribution centre and market for the trade.

According to WWF-Hong Kong, California imported about 24 tonnes of dried shark fin between 2008 and last year. Hong Kong imports an average 10,000 tonnes every year.

Fong introduced the bill in mid-February and it was passed 65-8 with 7 abstaining. “Most of the opposition was from the Cantonese community from Chinatown in San Francisco and Oakland. They’re still talking to me and treat me as a leader. But the issue’s over at least as far as the law’s concerned,” he said.

Fong’s quest to ban the controversial Chinese delicacy started three years ago when he saw a documentary about shark finning.

“I found out that 73 million sharks are finned every year and that the shark population is going to be extinct. If this happens, the ocean’s food chain would become hugely unbalanced because the ocean’s top predator would not be there. It’s like women’s foot binding. That was unhealthy and that practice went away, so this can too.

“For most of his life, Fong ate shark’s fin soup, usually at wedding banquets and special occasions.

“I liked it. The broth was delicious and it tastes really good. [The shark fin] was crunchy and the texture was OK but it didn’t taste like anything. I didn’t know what the big deal was until I found out about the cost and the shark finning,” he said. “The last time I ate it was three years ago at a dinner with the Consul-General of China. He had a real big shark fin.”

Last November Fong spoke to a local Chinese-language newspaper about his plan.

“I let the Chinese community know three months before I did it so I could get some feedback. I got a few people against it but most people were for it,” he said.

Critics have branded Fong’s bill an attack on Chinese values and culture, but Fong disagrees.

“I’m not attacking my values. I’m a Chinese-American. When they banned foie gras in California [which came into effect this July], nobody said it was an attack on the French. I know my Chinese roots and Chinese culture is very important to me, but I’m an environmentalist.”

The shark fin ban comes into effect on January 1 and businesses and restaurants have until June 30, 2013, to use up their stocks.

Those caught trading shark’s fin after this date can be fined US$1,000 and possibly receive six months in jail.

The United States accounts for 70 per cent of shark fin imports outside of Asia. California imports and re-exports about 85 per cent of all dried shark fins that enter the US.

Earlier this year, Hong Kong’s Environment Secretary Edward Yau Tang-wah said Hong Kong followed international guidelines on the shark trade, which excludes only three species, and he would not commit to banning shark’s fin soup at official banquets and meals.

Taiwan said in July it would tighten measures against hunting sharks for their fins. Its fishermen are barred from tossing sharks back into the water to die after taking their fins.

The shark fin issue will go to the full Council on Monday Oct 24. This is the final step!! We need your help to email the decision makers!

Please send an email of support to Mayor Ford and all Toronto Councillors to encourage them to vote YES on the shark fin ban.

If you’re not from Toronto, sending an email is still helpful, especially if you’re Chinese (just don’t emphasize that you’re not from Toronto/Canada in case the councillors are more concerned about Toronto voters). It would be helpful to include your Chinese name (if applicable).

mayor_ford@toronto.ca
councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca
councillor_augimeri@toronto.ca
councillor_bailao@toronto.ca
councillor_berardinetti@toronto.ca
councillor_carroll@toronto.ca
councillor_cho@toronto.ca
councillor_colle@toronto.ca
councillor_crawford@toronto.ca
councillor_crisanti@toronto.ca
councillor_davis@toronto.ca
councillor_debaeremaeker@toronto.ca
councillor_delgrande@toronto.ca
councillor_digiorgio@toronto.ca
councillor_doucette@toronto.ca
councillor_filion@toronto.ca
councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca
councillor_dford@toronto.ca
councillor_fragedakis@toronto.ca
councillor_grimes@toronto.ca
councillor_holyday@toronto.ca
councillor_kelly@toronto.ca
councillor_layton@toronto.ca
councillor_lee@toronto.ca
councillor_lindsay_luby@toronto.ca
councillor_mammoliti@toronto.ca
councillor_matlow@toronto.ca
councillor_mcconnell@toronto.ca
councillor_mcmahon@toronto.ca
councillor_mihevc@toronto.ca
councillor_milczyn@toronto.ca
councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca
councillor_moeser@toronto.ca
councillor_nunziata@toronto.ca
councillor_palacio@toronto.ca
councillor_parker@toronto.ca
councillor_pasternak@toronto.ca
councillor_perks@toronto.ca
councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca
councillor_robinson@toronto.ca
councillor_shiner@toronto.ca
councillor_stintz@toronto.ca
councillor_thompson@toronto.ca
councillor_vaughan@toronto.ca
councillor_wongtam@toronto.ca

Thank you very much! For more information and the latest updates, visit:
www.torontolovessharks.com
www.finfreetoronto.com
www.sharkangels.com
www.sharktruth.com

• 魚翅婚宴。人情七折 ( 9,158 人 ) http://facebook.com/BanquetGoersSayNoToSharkFinning
• 我撐頭條新聞；要求立法保障獨立公共廣播 ( 3,880 人 ) http://facebook.com/SaveRthkHeadliner
• 請曾特首在施政報告中暫絕魚翅 (3,374 人) http://facebook.com/CePaSharkFin
• 「撐港台運動」專頁　(357 人) http://facebook.com/SaveRTHK

在上述專頁停開的一年間，本人另立了以下再生版。這些也暫時會繼續保留：

• 「魚翅婚宴。人情七折」再生版 http://facebook.com/FbCutGiftMoneySfs2
• 「撐港台運動」專頁再生版 http://facebook.com/SaveRTHKCommunityPage

本人會繼續用以上各個途徑，為海洋保護和香港新聞自由發聲。希望大家繼續支持！謝謝！

李銳華

Danny Yeung 表示 Groupon HK 重視動物權益和對瀕危同物的保育，日後不會再推廣帶有魚翅的產品。

環保人士對此表示歡迎。香港護鯊會 (Hong Kong Shark Foundation) 在其 Facebook 專頁公佈了上述消息，迅速獲得四十多個「讚好」(Like)。

Danny Yeung, CEO of Groupon Hong Kong

Groupon Hong Kong CEO: No more promotion involving shark’s fin

[Hong Kong, Jun 26, 2011] The Chief Executive Officer of Groupon Hong Kong (previously operated as uBuyiBuy.com), Mr. Danny Yeung, replied to complaints from environmentalists regarding Groupon HK’s recent shark fin promotion. In the letter, Mr. Yeung promised that in the future they will restrict featuring any deals that involve shark’s fin. As for the deal that has already been purchased by customers (see http://bit.ly/lLzRsO), he said they have contacted the merchant Crystal Harbour Restaurant and will allow customers to opt for bird’s nest soup in replacement of shark fin soup.

Mr. Yeung also said Groupon Hong Kong values and respects animal rights and is committed to supporting the conservation of endangered species.

Environmentalists welcome the change of mind of Groupon Hong Kong. Hong Kong Shark Foundation posted a news about the development on their Facebook pages and immediately received more than 40 “Likes”.

Dear Alex,

My name is Danny Yeung, ceo of Groupon Hong Kong. Your email has come to my attention in regards to our shark’s fin deal.

Firstly, on behalf of Groupon, I like to sincerely apologize for our recent deal involving the consumption of shark’s fin.

Groupon Hong Kong values and respects animal rights and is committed to supporting the conservation of endangered species. We acknowledge that the earlier Crystal Harbour Restaurant set dinner deal including shark fin soup may have upset some communities and we would like to sincerely apologize for any offense caused.

We have decided to adjust the Crystal Harbour Restaurant set dinner deal. Customers who have subscribed to the Groupon earlier can continue to enjoy the set dinner deal at the restaurant but with bird’s nest soup in replacement of shark fin soup without any additional charge. Additionally, we will restrict featuring any deals which involve shark’s fin in the future.

Groupon Hong Kong will continue to support any initiatives or organizations in protecting animal rights.

Danny

「反對虐婢會」的華人紳士，只反對虐婢，不反對蓄婢，像極了今天加州的餐館和魚翅業人士和部分政客，只反對活割魚鰭，不反對食魚翅。而且，兩者都祭出中華文化的大旗，來掩飾其不合時宜的行為。歷史如此類同，真有趣也！

以下文字來源自：香港電台　（全片可在 優酷 看到）

婢女，俗稱妹仔。

長久以來，中國人一向有蓄婢的習慣。

有中國人認為，妹仔買賣是幫助窮困家庭供養年幼子女的一種善行；但在英國人眼中，沒年期、沒報酬、完全無自由的妹仔，實在跟奴隸並無分別。在1841年英國佔領香港開始，英國政府一直擺出尊重華人傳統的姿態，甚少會主動介入華人事務，但由於中西文化、價值觀等俱存在重大差異，兩種文化之間的衝擊實不能免；所以，19世紀中未開始的一場反蓄婢運動，就成為了香港開埠以來，首次引致英國國會高度介入的歷史事件。

早在十九世紀中末，香港人口販賣風氣熾熱的年代，社會上便開始有關於廢除妹仔的討論。但隨着華紳的大力反對，以及保良局的成立，反對聲音一度被平息。

到了二十世紀，因為得到駐港海軍希士活夫婦的大力支持，妹仔問題又再次引起社會關注。雖然希士活夫婦不久便被調回英國，但藉着他們的影響力，反而將反蓄婢的戰場拉闊至英國。英國輿論也開始討論香港的妹仔問題，甚至英國下議院也相應地就問題展開辯論。

1921年7月30日下午，香港定例局的華人議員劉鑄伯、何澤生在西環的太平戲院，召開香港歷史上第一次討論蓄婢問題的大會，是為「全港居民大會」。反蓄婢人士更於會後成立「反對蓄婢會」，有組織地反對蓄禁。

從1923年的《家庭女役條例》開始，一直至1938年，港督羅富國再次修訂相關條例，嚴格禁止買賣及蓄養婢女，並安排所有養女必需經華民政務司進行登記，妹仔問題才得到解決。

回顧整個反蓄婢運動，前後一共擾攘近二十年的長時間，主要跟港英殖民地政府，對香港的”文化不干預”管治哲學有莫大關係。在二十世紀，香港仍處於政治封閉的年代，如果沒有英國方面的支持力量，要成功爭取廢除蓄婢制度，可能還得花上十年，或二十年的時間。

魚翅行商會的廣告（ 2010 年 4 月，香港）

魚翅湯背後的真相

人類殺鯊取翅的規模，令人吃驚。需知道鯊魚是野生動物，生長期長達數十年，而胎兒數目少。實在經不起人類對其大規模的獵殺。

香港的「魚翅街」。可見窺見人類食用魚翅的規模。

(You can also get the PDF file from scribd.com)

新聞稿：請即時發放

環團促請 Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong 停賣魚翅
歡迎華盛頓州州長簽署禁售魚翅法案

【香港 2011 年 5 月 15 日 】 根據南華早報報導（ 2011 年 5 月 9 日），位於樓高 118 層環球貿易廣場頂層，最新開張的香港 Ritz-Carlton 酒店，雖然引入了不少環保的措施（如節省用水等），但郤仍然堅持要賣魚翅。

酒店所屬的萬豪國際（Marriott International）總裁 Mr. Arne Sorenson 說這是為了尊重本地文化云云。Mr. Arne Sorenson 也許不知道，香港有大部分的市民對魚翅的觀感已經改變。根據香港大學和BLOOM 在 2011 年 4 月公佈的調查結果，有八成的受訪者接受在宴會上沒有魚翅，更有九成半受訪者支持香港政府禁止魚翅入口。（見http://bit.ly/kgJ3s4）

鯊魚的數目，正在急速萎縮。科學家估計，魚翅貿易導致每年有二千六百萬至七千三百萬條鯊魚被殺害。要知道鯊魚是野生動物，成長至生育期要長達數十年，而每胎只生少量幼鯊，實在承受不了人類對它們施以掠奪式的捕殺。人類對魚翅的口腹之慾，根本無法持續下去。

世界自然保護聯盟（ IUCN）的紅色名錄，紀錄了科學家通過實證考察，確認瀕臨絕種或生存受到威脅的野生物種。在 2010 年的紅色名冊上，已經有 143 種列為極危／瀕危／易危／近危，佔所有已知鯊魚品種中的三成。本地市場上很多魚翅經 DNA 鑑定，很多實為這些生存受威或接近受威脅的鯊魚品種。

在此酒店新張之時，我們呼籲香港 Ritz-Carlton 酒店能夠仿效香港廸士尼和其他飲食集團，尊重大自然，保護海洋生態，立刻停售魚翅。

另外，華盛頓州州長 Chris Gregoire 在三天前（ 5 月 12 日）簽署該州第 5688 號法案，令禁止買賣、經營、和分發魚翅的法案正式成為法律。我們對此表示歡迎。事實上在國際上，禁售魚翅已經成為大趨勢。華盛頓州、夏威夷州、塞班島、關島等相繼立法禁止售買魚翅，而俄立岡州、加州等也在立法程序之中。

聯署團體：
Shark Rescue
環保觸覺 Green Sense
護鯊行動（香港）Shark Savers Hong Kong
Shark Truth
潛聚力 Divers Kinetic

查詢：
黎名川 （中文）Email: jan@greensense.org.hk
Ran Elfassy (English) Email: ran@sigeimedia.com

背景資料

鯊魚的數目，正在急速萎縮。科學家估計，魚翅貿易導致每年有二千六百萬至七千三百萬條鯊魚被殺害。要知道鯊魚是野生動物，成長至生育期要長達數十年，而每胎只生少量幼鯊，實在承受不了人類對它們施以掠奪式的捕殺。人類對魚翅的口腹之慾，根本無法持續下去。

世界自然保護聯盟（ IUCN）的紅色名錄，紀錄了科學家通過實證考察，確認瀕臨絕種或生存受到威脅的野生物種。在 2010 年的紅色名冊上，已經有 143 種列為極危／瀕危／易危／近危，佔所有已知鯊魚品種中的三成。本地市場上很多魚翅經 DNA 鑑定，很多實為這些生存受威或接近受威脅的鯊魚品種。

魚翅本身無味，這是飲食業中無人可以否認的公開秘密。食用魚翅，只是因為其價錢高，符合了某些人的虛榮心。但這郤成了鯊魚絕種的主要原因，也會對海洋生態帶來災難性的後果。

由 於魚翅價錢高，而鯊魚肉價低，這差異令到部分魚翅業者因為為了節省船上的空間，以極其殘忍的「活割魚鯺」(Shark Finning) 的方法來作業，以求取更大的利潤（請見以下影片 http://bit.ly/iimEZZ 及http://bit.ly/aOOjnq ）。食用魚翅，就是在間接的鼓勵這種野蠻的行為。

香港不少的大機構，如匯豐銀行、中華煤氣、恒生銀行、太古地產、香港大學、佳能香港等，都已作出了不吃魚翅的承諾（見《誰向魚翅說不？》 http://bit.ly/bHyrrE）。香港也有一百八十間以上的中小學，作出了類似的承諾。香港政府轄下的香港天文台，也已經作出了不吃魚翅的內部指引。在國際上，美國的夏威夷州政府，甚至已經立法在全州的層面全面禁止擁有、買賣、和分發任何魚翅產品 (http://bit.ly/eNx6y9)。

2010 年7 月，Citibank HK 曾經推出以魚翅套餐折扣優惠推廣其信用卡服務，結果引來網民群起反對，以 facebook、電郵、及取消信用卡等方法抗議。Citibank 最後從善如流，把有關魚翅推廣活動取消。 2011 年 1 月，大新銀行也是在類似的抗議聲中收回推廣貸款服務的魚翅餐項目。

Press Release: For immediate distribution

Green groups ask Ritz-Carlton HK to stop selling shark-fin soup
Welcome the signing into law of shark fin ban
by Washington State Governor

【Hong Kong, May 15, 2011】 There is a news report by the South China Morning Post (May 9, 2011) about the new luxury hotel Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which occupies floors 102 to 118 in the new skyscraper ICC in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The hotel has introduced a number of measures to make its operation more friendly to our planet (e.g. reduce the water consumption). However, the hotel has decided that they will serve shark fin soup.

Mr. Arne Sorenson, president and chief operating officer of Marriott International, the owner of the hotel, said the hotel “has to respect the local food culture.” But Mr. Arne Sorenson didn’t know that a majority of local people in Hong Kong has already given up their appetite on shark fin soup. In April 2011, a survey conducted by the University of Hong Kong and BLOOM, a non-profit focused on marine ecology, revealed that 80% of the respondents considered that it is socially acceptable to have no shark fin soup in a wedding
banquet. Furthermore, 95% of them support a ban of the import of shark fin soup. (http://yhoo.it/lykYft )

Shark populations worldwide are facing massive decline. Scientists estimate that between 26 to 73 million sharks are killed annually, mostly for their fins. Sharks cannot keep up with this rate of exploitation as they are slow-growing, long-lived, late to reach sexual maturity and produce few young. The human appetite for shark fin and other shark products simply cannot be sustained.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s main authority on the conservation status of species. In the 2010 Red List, 143 shark species, or 30% of all known shark species, are listed as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, and near threatened with the risk of extinction. Many of the shark fins that we can find in Hong Kong market actually belongs to these species that are threatened and near threatened with the risk of extinction. We petition that Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong can follow the example of Disneyland Hong Kong and other restaurants and stop selling shark fin soup.

Also, three days ago (May 12, 2011) Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law the bill SB 5688, which prohibits people from selling, trading, or distributing shark’s fins or derivative products (including cartilage supplements). We welcome this new development. In fact, we notice that there has been an international trend to ban shark’s fins. Washington State, Hawaii State, CNMI (Saipan and nearby islands), Guam have all passed laws that ban the sale and possession of shark’s fins. Oregon and California are also in different stages of legislation for a similar ban.

Co-signing organizations:

Shark Rescue
環保觸覺 Green Sense
護鯊行動（香港）Shark Savers Hong Kong
Shark Truth
潛聚力 Divers Kinetic

Enquires：

黎名川 （中文）Email: jan@greensense.org.hk
Ran Elfassy (English) Email: ran@sigeimedia.com

Background information

Shark populations worldwide are facing massive decline. Scientists estimate that between 26 to 73 million sharks are killed annually, mostly for their fins. Sharks cannot keep up with this rate of exploitation as they are slow-growing, long-lived, late to reach sexual maturity and produce few young. The human appetite for shark fin and other shark products simply cannot be sustained.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s main authority on the conservation status of species. In the 2010 Red List, 143 shark species, or 30% of all known shark species, are listed as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, and near threatened with the risk of extinction. Many of the shark fins that we can find in Hong Kong market actually belongs to these species that are threatened and near threatened with the risk of extinction.

Shark fins are widely regarded as tasteless, yet shark fin soup is considered a delicacy mainly because of the high price of the fins. People eat or serve it mostly as a way to show off wealth and status. However, the consumption of shark fin soup is a major factor in declining shark populations, with potentially disastrous impacts on the marine ecosystem.

Because of the high price of shark fins, and relatively low price of shark meat, the wasteful practice of shark finning – the cutting off a live shark’s fins and then throwing the body back to the sea – is highly lucrative. As a result, consumers opting for shark fin soup are encouraging these barbaric and cruel practices (c.f. these videos http://bit.ly/iimEZZ and http://bit.ly/aOOjnq ).

Many corporations in Hong Kong, such as HSBC, the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Hang Seng Bank, Swire Properties, University of Hong Kong, Canon Hong Kong, have pledged to say no and shark fin soup and have adopted a no-shark-fin dining policy (Please see a partial list from WWF-HK’s webpage http://bit.ly/dtkHA1 ). Hong Kong Observatory, and 180 primary and secondary schools also have made a similar pledge. Hawaii has banned the procession, sales, or distributions of shark fins (http://bit.ly/eNx6y9).

In July 2010, Citibank HK once had a promotion for their credit card service by offering discount on sharkfin-soup dinners. This triggered an outcry from the netizens. They protested by signing up a facebook protest page, sending Citibank emails, or even canceling their own Citibank credit card. Finally, Citibank listened to the outrage and scrapped the said shark-fin-soup promotion. In January 2011, Dah Sing Bank also abandoned their plan to promotion a bank product by some shark-fin banquets after a similar protest.

(Please scroll down to see the English version) Last updated on May 14, 2011

根據南華早報報導（ 2011 年 5 月 9 日），位於樓高 118 層環球貿易廣場頂層，最新開張的香港 Ritz-Carlton 酒店，雖然引入了不少環保的措施（如節省用水等），但郤仍然堅持要賣魚翅。

酒店所屬的萬豪國際（Marriott International）總裁 Mr. Arne Sorenson 說這是為了尊重本地文化云云。

Mr. Arne Sorenson 也許不知道，香港有大部分的市民已經唾棄了魚翅。根據香港大學和 BLOOM 在 2011 年 4 月公佈的調查結果，有八成的受訪者接受在宴會上沒有魚翅，更有九成半受訪者支持香港政府禁止魚翅入口。（見 http://bit.ly/kgJ3s4）

在此酒店新張之時，我們呼籲香港 Ritz-Carlton 酒店能夠仿效香港廸士尼和其他飲食集團，尊重大自然，保護海洋生態，立刻停售魚翅。

各位可以用電郵向 Ritz-Carlton 公關部門作出請求，相信酒店會樂於聆聽大家的意見。請同時分寄美國總部和香港分公司。電郵地址及信件樣本會列於下面。

There is a news report by the South China Morning Post (May 9, 2011) about the new luxury hotel Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which occupies floors 102 to 118 in the new skyscraper ICC in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The hotel has introduced a number of measures to make its operation more friendly to our planet (e.g. reduce the water consumption). However, the hotel has decided that they will serve shark fin soup.

Mr. Arne Sorenson, president and chief operating officer of Marriott International, the owner of the hotel, said the hotel “has to respect the local food culture”.

But Mr. Arne Sorenson didn’t know that a majority of local people in Hong Kong has already given up their appetite on shark fin soup. In April 2011, a survey conducted by the University of Hong Kong and BLOOM, a non-profit focused on marine ecology, revealed that 80% of the respondents considered that it is socially acceptable to have no shark fin soup in a wedding banquet. Furthermore, 95% of them support a ban of the import of shark fin soup. (http://yhoo.it/lykYft )

We petition that Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong can follow the example of Disneyland Hong Kong and other restaurants and stop selling shark fin soup.

You can send an email to the Corporate Media Relations Department of Ritz-Carlton. I think they will be glad to hear your opinions. Please send to both the Headquarters and the Hong Kong office. The email addresses and a sample letter is listed below.

====================================================

RITZ-CARLTON: CORPORATE MEDIA RELATIONS

Vivian A. Deuschl
Corporate Vice President, Public Relations
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
4445 Willard Avenue, Suite 800
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Phone: (703) 941-6225
Mobile: (202) 255-5786
Fax: (703) 941-7492
Email: newsroom@ritzcarlton.com

ASIA
Daniel Ford
Regional Director Public Relations, Asia Pacific
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C.
Suite 1108, Tower One, Lippo Centre,
89 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Phone: + 852 3760 9219
Email: daniel.ford@ritzcarlton.com

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Ms. Deuschl, Mr. Ford,

We read with disappointment from a South China Morning Post’s report (May 9, 2011) that your new hotel in Hong Kong plans to sell shark fin soup.

Shark populations worldwide are facing massive decline. Scientists estimate that the fins of up to 73 million sharks are traded globally, that’s 200,000 a day! Sharks cannot keep up with this rate of exploitation as they are slow-growing, long-lived, late to reach sexual maturity and produce few young. The human appetite for shark fin and other shark products simply cannot be sustained.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s main authority on the conservation status of species. In the 2010 Red List, 74 shark species are listed as at high risk of extinction – with a further 69 species considered to be at high risk in the near future. That is one third of the number of known shark species!

Shark fins are widely regarded as tasteless, yet shark fin soup is considered a delicacy mainly because of the high price of the fins (the taste of the soup comes from the broth). People eat or serve it mostly as a way to show off wealth and status. However, the consumption of shark fin soup is a major factor in declining shark populations, with potentially disastrous impacts on the marine ecosystem.

Because of the high price of shark fins, and relatively low price of shark meat, the wasteful practice of shark finning – the cutting off a live shark’s fins and then throwing the body back to the sea – is highly lucrative. As a result, consumers opting for shark fin soup are encouraging these barbaric and cruel practices (c.f. these videos http://bit.ly/iimEZZ and http://bit.ly/aOOjnq ).

Many major corporations in Hong Kong have pledged not to serve or buy shark fin soup. These include Disneyland Hong Kong, HSBC, the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Hang Seng Bank, Swire Properties, Canon Hong Kong, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Observatory, and 180 primary and secondary schools. (Please see a partial list from WWF-HK’s webpage http://bit.ly/dtkHA1 )

I also would like to draw your attention to the fact that shark fin soup has been banned in Hawaii, and the fact that similar bills to ban shark fin soup are in different stages of legislation in Washington State, Oregon, and California. I believe many other states and countries will adopt a similar ban in the near future.

I think the decision to serve shark fin soup in your new hotel will be a public image disaster – both in Hong Kong and globally. We hope your corporation will reconsider your position on this important matter for the health of our oceans.

Before a public announcement that you will stop selling shark fin soup in your hotels, I will stop staying in anyone of the 3,150 hotels of Marriott International in the world, including Ritz-Carlton, I will also ask my friends and relatives to do the same.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Regards,

[Your name, city, and country]

籃球明星姚明、導演李安、張堅庭、奧運跳水金牌得主郭晶晶、中國人大代表丁立國、香港的立法會議議員余若薇、葉劉淑儀、張文光、陳淑莊、歌手林一峰、孫燕姿、藝人郭秀雲、應釆兒、楊千嬅、曹敏莉、宣萓，這些華人，有甚麼共同點？不錯，他們都曾在不同的場合倡議「停吃魚翅、拯救海洋」。（見 http://bit.ly/ChineseCelebSayNoToSharkFinSoup）

不止如此，在香港的不少大企業機關，如匯豐銀行、太古地產、香港大學、甚至香港政府轄下的香港天文台，近年都明確的在內部實行了「不吃魚翅，也不用魚翅奉客」的守則。在中國内地也有王石等百餘企業家公開承諾拒吃魚翅。台灣也有民眾發起拒吃魚翅，令超市要把魚翅年菜下架。

如此一看，加州議員余胤良曾說過「加州議會在討論中的禁售魚翅的第 376 提案（ AB376 ），是對亞州文化的攻擊」，這一說，豈不是十分牽強了嗎？！

其實，魚翅業界和餐館中的部分人士，為了自身的商業利益，希望魚翅買賣可以繼續進行下去，這是可以理解的。但一般的華裔民眾，對魚翅問題有甚麼看法呢？

上個月（2011 年 4 月 12日），香港大學社會科學研究中心和保育團體 BLOOM ，公佈了他們在香港進行的一次嚴謹的 社會科學調查結果，發現雖然有七成人在 2009 年最少進食了一次魚翅（九成是在宴會上），但其實有八成半受訪者，是贊成香港禁止入口魚翅的（注一）。另外，也有八成人接受婚宴中没有魚翅。可以說，一直以來，婚宴主人以為「如果宴會上没有魚翅，將會得失人客」，原來是一個誤解，其實大部份人在婚宴上是「被逼」進食魚翅的（在當場拒吃是需要不少勇氣的）。這也許解釋了為何筆者去年（2010 年）三月發起的「 魚翅婚宴。人情七折」運動廣受注意，在短短一個月內有近二萬人在網上表示支持　──　也許是因為宴會賓客，終於有機會向宴會主人和酒樓提出「請不要用魚翅來款待我！」這個想法！

香港大學的調査結果說明了為甚麼第 376 法案有其重要性──移風易俗，有時的確要以立法為手段。以前在中國婦女被逼纏小腳、窮家女孩則有可能被賣為「妹仔」（奴婢），這些風俗都是後來用法律行為改變過來的。去除了這些不合時宜的陋習，中華文化可有動搖？没有。

其實，與飲食與文化有關的立法例子，加州還有另一個。2004 年，加州立法通過禁止用「灌食」(Force Feeding) 的方法飼養鴨、鵝和其他家禽來生產法式美食鵝肝醬（Foie Gras），也禁止買賣以上述方法出產的鵝肝醬。這當然也不是甚麼「對法國文法的攻擊」。

也有論者認為，要民眾少吃魚翅，為甚麼不通過加強教育，而要立法強制執行呢？另外，奧巴馬在今年（2011）年初簽署法案，規定鯊魚上岸時魚鰭必須與魚身相連，這不是也能有效阻止最廣為人詬病的「活割魚鰭然後取翅棄魚」(Shark Finning) 的野蠻行為嗎？（情況可以參見 YouTube 片段 http://bit.ly/aOOjnq ）

首先，這裡有一個執法困難的問題。美國海岸線長，要制止非法入境的人都尚且有困難，更何況是非法入境的魚鰭呢？以象牙問題為例，理論上只要禁止捕獵野生大象就可以保護了大象， 但事實上，若象牙貿易一日合法存在，則非法捕獵大象一日不會停止。非洲的大象在 1977 年至 1989 年間，急速下降，各國不得不在 1990 年以《華盛頓公約》的機制禁止了國際間的象牙貿易，這才勉强的保住了非洲的野生大象。其實，當日若不用此非常手段，象牙業也必會隨着大象絕種而走向式微。為了一界的私利，只苟延多幾年的生意，卻把生態推向不可逆轉的大災難，這又何苦呢？！

另外，也有一個改變速度快慢的問題。以濫用膠袋（塑料購物袋）的問題為例。我以前在香港生活，在九十年代初期，已經開始聽到有識之士呼籲大家不要濫用膠袋，政府也在電視播了不少的宣傳廣告。可是，問題不單没有改善，反而更變本加厲，2000 年至 2005 年期間，小小一個香港，膠袋垃圾由五千萬噸升至九千萬噸。拖延了近二十年，在 2009 年時，香港政府才痛下決心，在消費者層面徵收膠袋稅。在這之後，消費者才真正接受了本來是舉手之勞的自携購物袋的習慣（大部份美國人至今仍未有這習慣，可以說是相對落後）。既然最終都要立法來解决的問題，這近二十年的拖延，為地球堆積了接近十億噸的萬年不化的膠袋，這等待是否值得？

鯊魚問題，則是更加嚴重。膠袋垃圾雖是萬年不化，也有化的一天；但若果鯊魚絕種了，則是永不會回頭了。人類依頼海洋而生存，海洋的生態大災難，也就是人類的大災難，我們有條件去等待嗎？！　我呼籲加州華人認清魚翅業界的利益和地球全人類的利益有時不盡相同。孰先孰後，這是考驗我們華人智慧的時候了！

──　完　──

注一：2011 年 5 月 6 日，北加州 Monterey 水族館發表在加州進行的有關食用魚翅的 民調結果 ，也得到相近的結果。該民調發現，有 76% 的加州選民支持 AB376 法案（禁售魚翅），其中華裔的 70% 選民也支持該法案。

注二：各位支持第 376 號提案的朋友，請到 Facebook 「全球華人支持加州立法禁售魚翅」專頁，表達您對法案的支持 http://facebook.com/ChineseForAB376 　！