Three in four people here would support legislation to reduce the consumption of shark fin, a World Wide Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore) survey has found.
The poll, which surveyed 504 people in Singapore in October and November last year, also found that over eight in 10 people here think that it is acceptable to serve alternatives to shark fin soup at wedding banquets.
Popular alternatives include double boiled soup and braised soup.
Traditionally popular at Chinese wedding banquets here, shark fin soup has come under fire over the years for its adverse impact on wildlife conservation.
According to WWF-Singapore, around 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins. Over 180 shark and related species are considered threatened as of 2010, up from just 15 species in 1996.
The conservation organisation's chief executive Elaine Tan said attitudes towards eating shark fin are changing.
"It is clear we are experiencing a cultural change where preservation of our ocean resources and conservation of the shark species is becoming more important to the majority of the public than the traditional value of shark fin soup," she said.
"It is time for businesses to step up and match the public's expectations, stop selling shark fin and support sustainable seafood."
The survey also found that over eight in 10 people here have not eaten shark or ray meat in the past year. Government legislation on shark fin is not new.
In recent years, countries like Malaysia, China and Hong Kong have imposed bans on shark fin being served at official functions. Brunei was the first country to ban the catching of shark species and shark fin trade in 2013.
maybe limit the amount of sharks killed per annual or something. Banning it just becoz too much comsumption is too extreme...
To those sharks lover, We're eating other stuff like pigs, chickens, cow, etc etc as well should we stop eating all of them??
read abt how sharks affect the entire ecosystem
I know, that I understand the effects of predator and prey in a food chain ecosystem. And also the importance of maintain the balance and the lack of one would be catastrophic...
I just cannot stand ppl saying we should stop eating sharks becoz it's inhumanne or stuff like tat.
People wan to protest or complain should do so with the right logic and arguement. PETA also another one -___-