Partner Report: Vanishing Fins: Harbin's Trade in Shark and Shark Products (April 2010)(Ch)

Pacific Environment, working along with Green Longjiang, coordinated a four-month research study on the shark fin trade in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China.  The study, titled Vanishing Fins, was performed from the period of November 2009 and March 2010 and included data collected from over 40 shops, including 15 high-end restaurants and four fish markets. The researchers found that Harbin has become a huge market for the buying and selling of shark meat and fins. Harbin, located far north inland in Manchuria in Northeast China, is over 700 km away from China's closest coastline. Shark fin and meat never has been a part of the diet of the local population. Shark fin soup only started to be served in the region as late as 20 years ago and its popularity has increased dramatically due to a growing population of local, affluent consumers. Much of this growing trend is associated with corruption since many Chinese government officials are being treated by business people to dine in these restaurants in exchange for special favors. More disturbing, government officials are consuming shark fin products, such as in shark fin soup, with public, tax payer money.

Pacific Environment believes that the results of this report reveal an unhealthy trend in the trade and consumption of shark fins, especially in a region that does not traditionally consume seafood. Furthermore, the organizations believe that this is an indication that the wild shark population is under serious threat.  "Consuming shark fin soup is not part of the tradition in Manchuria," said Wen Bo of Pacific Environment who directed the research study and edited the report."Harbin should feel ashamed for being a city involved in driving sharks towards extinction."

Pacific Environment and Green Longjiang are working with local conservationists in China to highlight the importance of shark conservation and reduce shark consumption in China.

Click below to read the report (in Chinese).