indeed beautiful creatures....if only some people do understand.....

Really good watch, and really hope sharks-finning can be stopped.

 

can i suggest something........we put a list of restaurants/hotels that serve shark Fin....and put in our blackList or BanList/places we can avoid or something, so we ourselves avoid those places....just a suggestion  for a start ->

List of places that serves shark Fin(stay away by all means  )
1) 1 station cafe, bdr putra permai/equine Park, seri kembangan, I'll never go there again..last time i ate was just nasi lemak ayam but after that i realize in their menu, they are serving shark fin..haih..

I was just wondering......if something is soooooo detrimental to the human species, why isn't it just made illegal?

If anyone followed the discussions about legalizing marijuana, it was it's bigger detrimental value as compared to the benefits that caused to remain an illegal substance in most countries.

Who is impacted if shark finning is made illegal? How? What is the commercial impact to the groups that are involved in the actual obtaining, distributing and consuming the fins?

There are various movies, web sites, etc, etc, which you guys can go to and you will see where we are on this..globally...

Have fun with the research!! 

Another avenue is to get large corporations to add "No to shark fins" onto their CSR (Corporate and Sosial Responsibility) programme. (Tax deductable somemore!!!)

I'll start with the Oil & Gas boys (Petronas/Shell/Murphy Oil/Talisman...).....hehehehe....my neighbourhood la....

Since I get a discount at Aquaria KLCC for being a Petronas staff, I guess it must mean Petronas does care about the marine world, right??

Anyone can target Banks? Hotels? Retail outlets like Giant/Jusco/Parkson??

This is an avenue that can reach a large number of people rather quickly. Any HR or Corporate Affairs related divers around???? 

i cant believe how ignorant some people can be.

so 'true' to their cause that they are unaware that most restaurants do not serve real sharkfin.

there is no point in changing the mindset of people. i for one LOVE sharkfin soup, not for the sharkfin, but for the texture of the soup, the taste of the soup.

secretly and quietly the sharkfins are replaced by a better, cheaper alternative, vegetable substitutes.




guys, i plead to you all.. DO RESEARCH ! !

i cant believe how ignorant some people can be.

so 'true' to their cause that they are unaware that most restaurants do not serve real sharkfin.

there is no point in changing the mindset of people. i for one LOVE sharkfin soup, not for the sharkfin, but for the texture of the soup, the taste of the soup.

secretly and quietly the sharkfins are replaced by a better, cheaper alternative, vegetable substitutes.




guys, i plead to you all.. DO RESEARCH ! !

bro.. hate to burst your bubble, but most of the sharkfin soups is FAKE.

you can go ahead and continue enjoying your sharkfin soup. they are all confirmed FAKE unless they cost RM100 per bowl.
these substitutes are WAY MUCH MUCH cheaper than 'real' sharkfin as they are vegetable based.

there are the 2 popular substitutes.
1, a type of gourd (dont remember the name in english, but when translated from chinese, it is called fish fin gourd).. after letting it dry, they extract the insides of the gourd (a type of plant) and viola! when cooked, taste just like shark fin.

2, JELLY..

so, go ahead and enjoy sharkfin soup in wedding dinners and so on. there is NO sharks harmed in the soup.

BON APPETITE!!






once at a wedding dinner, there were 2 guys saying 'EWL.. sharkfin soup! how can you guys eat these things.. and so on.. to the point i was embarrassed to be in the same race as them, as they made chinese sound soooo disgusting.' i was so disgusted with them i wanted to slap them. so the remaining 8 of enjoyed the extra 'soup' portions and didnt bother telling them this is not real sharkfin soup. its called sharkfin soup because historically, it used sharkfin. sharkfin does even have TASTE!! thts y making substitutes is SOOO EASY..

same thing applies, why is ASIA JAYA LRT Station called ASIA JAYA? because there is a complex there that is called asia jaya ages ago (now ARMADA HOTEL). and was already a hotel (different name) before the LRT station was even planned.

for all those 'noble' anti-sharkfin activist, KNOW your soup, KNOW what you are saying, DO research and THINK before you go around shouting anti-this and anti-that.

in malaysia, there is almost no place selling sharkfin soup using real sharkfin. there is a few restaurants but most is not.

Hi Harold,

I understand that you Love Shark fin Soup, you have been promoting fake shark fin soup.My question to you, So when you attend a wedding banquet, would you assume the fin is fake n happily slurping it? you stated somewhere i read, you had confirm 3 restaurants is serving FAKE SFS, would you have conclusion on the fin soup you had is all fake?
you did mention that real fin soup would cost over rm 100 a bowl? are you sure on this? base on what?

Below, some pictures taken in Malaysia's wet market, as you will notice the fins are still attached n they are not expensive :
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=135094689845111&set=a.130557233632190.17195.115364818484765&theater
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16585&id=115364818484765
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=89290814972&set=t.592858991
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150233416425481&set=t.592858991
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150233415515481&set=t.592858991
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=400115087171&set=t.592858991

This is the fins you are consuming, low grade fins from small n baby shark...
Where does the big fins goes?
singapore, hong kong n china!!!

I really dont think the fin soup you having in wedding banquet are really fake...
I assume you are not married n will not serve sfs on your wedding banquet (Thank you), lets say if you are not aware of this n will host ur wedding banquet.
Will you consider serving FAKE shark fin to your family, relative, business partner,friends, clients, customers n respective guests? Knowing that some may notice n talk behind you? paiseh leh...
If you attend a good reception dinner in some grand hotel, they would not serve fake stuff.
(I have no longer attend wedding serving Shark Fin Soup)

I m not sure if you are aware Malaysia is the top ten Shark Fin catcher/exporter in the world contributing of 2.9%?
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/01/30/shark.finning/index.html?hpt=Sbin

http://www.traffic.org/home/2011/1/27/shark-populations-dwindle-as-top-catchers-delay-on-conservat.html

Harold, are you a diver? do you concern about the no. of Sharks being harvest annually? will you please stop promoting Shark Fin Soup/Fake Shark Fin Soup?
 
Below me interviewing a chef/owner of a restaurant serving SFS :
http://thestaronline.tv/v/6090

If you go to Ming Tien for SFS, that i can confirm FAKE...

Go ENJOY YOUR FAKE SFS...
http://www.facebook.com/SharkFinCrisis

Cheers Buddy,
Kirk Lee
kirk__76@hotmail.com
http://thestaronline.tv/v/6404

Ketam is against sharkfinning.... I guess everybody here is too.

Whether a soup contains shark fins or not.... if by consuming them it would lead to sharks being slaughtered for their fins directly or indirectly... Ketam would skip the soup.... its just a simple step.

This is a personal stand which Ketam have passed to family members and friends.... and hopefully they will pass the message to their family and friends... just a small step.... to skip the soup. Even though the soup may not contain any real shark fin or not.... the message to Ketam's family and friends is to skip it.

Just a small step to preserve a majestic animal for our future generations. If the buying stops... the killing can too.

Point taken Bro, but my impression was that SFS was a luxury item, eaten in the royal courts. Not a staple or everyday menu. Anyway, to each his own, the battle is on and we try to win where we can but the sharks lose all the same.

Yup...looks like the only hammerheads we'll see is when a diver goes to the market, huh????

or to the hardware shop.. LOL

Do agree with you buddy but most probably SFS isn't really that close to your heart as it is to some. (For me also....no big deal.)

But what if shrimps were endangered and therefore SAMBAL BELACAN (Shrimp paste) consumption needs to be stopped??????

Will it be as easy to get your friends and family's support??? Change one's complete diet and eating habits which have been practised for generations????

 

Just to add something here.... Status has always been something very important to people consuming SFS.

People just aren’t satisfied with something that looks, tastes, and feels exactly the same as the real thing.  For them, it has to involve the death of a beautiful shark.

That is why we see shark fins (real ones I reckon) displayed as centerpieces on many traditional herb shops, restaurants and so on. I do not have figures... Ketam just visited a local "singseh" and there it was... a dried shark fin next to gingseng. Ketam did not ask whether they were real.

Hehehe bro.... you still up at this time kah....

Nette always likes to say that we became very 'eco-conscious' after we started diving, I guess because we divers are lucky to see the beauty and magnificence of many creatures first hand. We are also more tuned to the affect we humans have to the environments. After becoming a diver we chose not to use sunscreens as they may have adverse effect onto corals. We use less plastic bags and as much as possible do not litter. We signed up to various ecological groups, WWF, Project Aware, Coral watch to name a few. It was a lifestyle change and we are more than glad to do it. Ketam is posting this not to 'shoot' down anybody or to flame anything.

Ketam is pro-shark. If that inadvertently means advocating no-sfs it is truly for the sharks, no relations to race, creed or eating preference. Ketam is also against consumption of turtle eggs (always thought that a law have to be put in place), whaling, confinement of marine mammals and much more.  Again this is just Ketam's view.

vash_h, your point of view on SFS did make Ketam surf the web to check up on fake SFS and do some research as you suggested. You feel strongly on SFS having a bad rap and Ketam understand your frustration when people advocates against something where you know is harmless to sharks. Your stand and ideas are radical as it is against mainstream thoughts, so you must understand why people are taking a strong stance against it. Ketam would not comment much on SFS, the facts are there. Sharks are being killed. Most are killed for their fins (this is a verifiable fact). These fins are only for one purpose.

We are all love diving and the underwater world. No matter what our view, our cuisine or personal habits. If anybody gives Ketam the no-air signal, Ketam's octopus will be ready for them. And Ketam knows that it is the same for everybody here too and would be there if Ketam showed them the no-air signal.

i hear u ketam.. thats y i stated out what i said, made known the existance of substitutes and leave the topic alone.. except the provoking is still on..

really looking forward to my next dive in june.. miss the sea.. miss the freedom diving gives me (well, the idea of freedom.. feel as if i can FLY.. LOL).. miss the fish.. miss the sharks.. the shrimps.. the wrecks.. the caves.. the corals.. bloody hell, i even miss the sounds my stomach makes after each dive (thnk god some dive centres serves things to munch on after each dive)..