Cities across Canada have been mulling over the impending bylaw to have the shark fin soup delicacy removed from restaurant menus across the country. There has been an ongoing debate about the safety of various types of sharks, and their dwindling numbers since fishermen hunt them continuously to fulfil the large demand for this delicacy. On one hand, one should not hunt a species to near extinction; but on the other hand, some argue that the shark fin soup is a tradition and should not be banned from menus. David Chung, the President of the B.C. Asian Restaurant and Cafe Association, said that there is no scientific data that shows that shark fin soup is endangering the species. This ongoing debate has resulted in the majority of Canadian citizens saying that this delicacy should not be banned.
Though the impending bylaw has already passed in parts of eastern Canada, there are still a number of small business and restaurants that may still sell this delicacy to customers under the radar. Reporters have disguised as customers wanting to “order a couple hundred servings of shark fin soup for a wedding dinner”, in order to prove that those businesses will still serve this popular Asian delicacy if the demand is still present, therefore capitalizing on the shark fins. So now the question is, would passing this new law really do any good in the long run?