Disney pulls shark's fin from Hong Kong park menu

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Disney pulls shark's fin from Hong Kong park menu

 

Sat Jun 25, 2:31 PM ET

 

Source >

http://news./s/afp/20050625/sc_afp/environmenthongkong_050625183121

 

HONG KONG (AFP) - Green groups applauded the Disney

company after it said it would pull controversial

shark's fin soup from the menu of its Hong Kong theme

park following international outcry.

 

The giant American company said in a brief statement

it had decided to abandon plans to serve the

controversial dish after failing to find suppliers

that did not harvest the fins in an inhumane way.

 

The U-turn was welcomed by environmentalists who had

launched a global protest against the company after it

said it would serve the delicacy -- whose popularity

is blamed for waning shark populations -- at wedding

banquets.

 

" We applaud Disney for making the right decision to

remove shark fin from their menu, " Ginette Hemley of

conservation group WWF said in a statement.

 

" Many shark populations are under attack by man.

Disney's action helps pull sharks from the jaws of yet

another threat, " she added.

 

Hong Kong is the centre of the world's shark's fin

trade -- some 80 percent of all fins sold on the world

market come through here. Activists say millions of

sharks are killed each month for their fins

 

Although tasteless, the gelatinous dish's high price

makes it a status symbol and its consumption is

considered a mark of wealth.

 

Disney's climbdown came after two months of intense

protests from conservationists and concerned customers

around the world.

 

The protests threatened to overshadow the 3.2 billion

dollar park's opening, due in September.

 

Disney had resisted calls to drop the dish, but in a

bid to ease concerns said it would only serve it on

request and would hand out leaflets to customers

informing them of the damage the demand for shark's

fin did to the environment.

 

It also said it would only source its supplies from

fishermen who did not practice " finning " -- a

harvesting technique by which the shark's fins are

hacked off and the rest of the fish is dumped and left

to die.

 

It said it had pulled the dish after failing to secure

such supplies.

 

" After careful consideration and a thorough review

process, we were not able to identify an

environmentally sustainable fishing source, leaving us

no alternative except to remove sharks' fin soup from

our wedding banquet menu, " the statement read.

 

Disney had defended its plan saying shark's fin soup

was a traditional Chinese dish and would be served in

respect to cultural sensitivities.

 

But Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland's group

managing director, said the company had a good

environmental reputation to keep.

 

" Striking the right balance between cultural

sensitivities and conservation has always been out

goal, " he said.

 

Man Kei Tam, campaigns manager for environmental group

Greenpeace said he hoped Disney's move would send a

signal to other businesses that serve the dish.

 

" More importantly it sends a signal about sustainable

business and fisheries, " he told AFP.

 

 

 

 

 

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