Chinese American food purveyors object to law banning shark fins

[n2doc]

By Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times
October 10, 2011
In the wake of new California legislation that outlaws the sale and possession of shark fins, some Chinese American food purveyors are objecting that the law unfairly deprives their customers of a centuries-old Asian delicacy, shark fin soup.

"Now it's just one more thing Chinese people cannot find in America," said Thai Ong, manager of Monterey Park's Wing Hop Fung, a Chinese specialty store that carries dried shark fin.

Dried shark fin, the soup's main ingredient, can sell for more than $2,000 a pound in California. Originally served only to emperors, the expensive soup has become a symbol of status and wealth and a gesture of honor to respected guests.

Assemblyman Paul Fong (D-Sunnyvale) grew up eating the soup but introduced AB 376 to limit what he called a brutal practice, noting that fins are hacked off live sharks that are then thrown back into the water. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill Friday. Betty Tsang, president of the Asian Food Trade Assn., said organized petitions and protests were not fairly heard.

more
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shark-fin-ban-react-20111010,0,1918974.story

[Codeine]

1. Cry me a river.

You'll live without your precious shark fin soup, dude.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Too bad, so sad.

This Californian is proud that this bill passed. :applause: Finning is a practice that ZERO place in the modern world.