Thailand: Shark fin-free hotels 'blue listed'

Bangkok Post 25 Apr 13;

A group of 23 luxury hotels have pledged to ban shark fin soup, as part of a campaign to halt the decline of shark populations.

The hotels, including the Peninsula Bangkok, Banyan Tree and Shangri-La, have signed up to a so-called “blue list”, promoting Thai hotels that don't serve shark fin soup.

The Fin Free Thailand campaign is calling on other hotels to join the list and is offering free information on alternative sustainable options to those that need help phasing shark fin soup off their menus.

“Many hotels are taking shark fin off their menus out of concern for endangered shark populations threatened by overfishing. They should be commended for this important action to protect sharks and the marine environment,” said Jirayu Ekkul, Fin Free Thailand spokesperson and marine conservation campaign director for Love Wildlife Foundation.

“We’ve found that some hotels not openly offering or promoting shark fin soup in the name of conservation, are still serving hundreds of bowls at request for business and wedding banquets. We want them to be honest with the public and make a real commitment to marine conservation by completely banning shark fin. The Fin Free Blue List highlights hotels making a 100% commitment to protect sharks by not serving shark fin at all.”

Katja Henke, general manager of the Peninsula Bangkok, said the hotel's management believe they have a duty to protect sharks for future generations. She said: “Given the scientific evidence on the drastic decline of shark populations, we believe that it is our responsibility, as Asia’s oldest hotel company, to no longer serve shark fin at any of our hotels. We can’t let sharks disappear."

The blue list was unveiled at the International School Bangkok in front of students learning about the campaign. Seventh grade pupil Pavin Sethbhakdi said: “I’ve told my family, including my grandparents; we need to say 'no' to shark fin soup. I’m not a diver or environmental activist, but I know what’s being done to sharks is wrong and unsustainable.”

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that 90% of the world's sharks have disappeared over the past 100 years due to overfishing, while humans kill about 100 million sharks each year, mostly for their fins.