THAILAND: WILD AID WATCH GROUP SAYS SHARK'S FIN SOUP IS POSING SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO CONSUMER

Record ID: 846419

  • Title: THAILAND: WILD AID WATCH GROUP SAYS SHARK'S FIN SOUP IS POSING SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO CONSUMER
  • Date: 4th July 2001
  • Summary: (L3) BANGKOK, THAILAND (JULY 4, 2001) (REUTERS) MCU (English) STEVEN GALSTER, WILD AID SPOKESMAN, SAYING "The shark fins here in Chinatown in Bangkok, which come from Hong Kong, therefore are the kinds of fins being distributed around the world, they had forty two times that rate in some cases, very high levels of mercury. This is very alarming." CU ADVERTISEMENTS RELEASED BY WILD AID MCU (English) GALSTER SAYING "Is it really worth me spending a lot of money on a dish that might actually hurt me and in addition to that, if they care at all about the oceans and sharks, they'll know that their consumption of shark fins is contributing to the decline in their numbers." SLV/SV RESTAURANTS IN BANGKOK CHINATOWN; PEOPLE EATING SHARK FIN SOUP (5 SHOTS) SV/CU SHARK FIN SOUP BEING PREPARED; SOUP (3 SHOTS) MCU (Thai) MALE STREET VENDOR SAYING "It might have an affect on my business. If it is truly bad for you then people might not come to eat at my stall, they might not dare." SLV/CU/MCU PEOPLE EATING SHARK FIN SOUP (5 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 19th July 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • City:
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Business,Health,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA771CWQWBQYM2M5FGOLGB5T5SV
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Sharks are more dangerous dead than alive, according to new research conducted by an international environmental watchdog group.
    Wild Aid says research conducted in Thailand shows shark's fin soup is posing serious health risks to consumers.
    In response to the report, the Thai government has urged people to resist the delicacy until checks are completed.
    Environmental watch group Wild Aid says about 100 million sharks are caught by fishermen every year, many just for their fins which are prized throughout Asia for their medicinal value and use in Chinese cooking.
    Wild Aid tested 10 sharks' fin samples from three major dealers in Bangkok's Chinatown district in April and found all contained dangerously high levels of mercury.
    Hong Kong is the global hub for shark fins and research conducted by the organisation shows Thailand, formerly an export country, is now importing fins from Hong Kong because it's increasingly difficult to catch sharks in Thai waters.
    Many of the fins were also found to have been pumped full of unidentified chemicals to increase their size.
    "The shark fins here in Chinatown in Bangkok, which come from Hong Kong, therefore are the kinds of fins being distributed around the world, they had 42 times that rate in some cases, very high levels of mercury. This is very alarming," said Steve Galster from Wild Aid.
    The Thai Ministry of Public Health issued its warning on Wednesday (July 4) advising consumers to avoid eating sharks fin until safety checks were completed.
    Mercury is especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause neurological defects in babies. Earlier this year the governments of Australia and the United States issued health warnings to pregnant women about eating the soup. Wild Aid also says research has shown shark fins have no real nutritional value.
    "Is it really worth me spending a lot of money on a dish that might actually hurt me and in addition to that, if they care at all about the oceans and sharks, they'll know that their consumption of shark fin is contributing to the decline in their numbers," Galster said.
    The dish is popular throughout Asia, where it is considered a delicacy. In Thailand it can be purchased in top Chinese restaurants, as well as on the street. One vendor said he hadn't heard about the dangers of eating the soup.
    "It might have an affect on my business. If it is truly bad for you then people might not come to eat at my stall, they might not dare," he told Reuters.
    The mercury in the sharks is a result of pollution in the oceans, according to Wild Aid. Sharks, being on top of the food chain, consume large numbers of fish that contain mercury, and retain high levels of it in their bodies, the group says.
    Wild Aid has launched a campaign to encourage governments to ban shark fishing in their territorial waters.
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