Please ask China Yuan & Hong Kong House, the only restaurants in the Tampa Bay area that serve shark fin soup, to remove this item from their menus.

What is shark finning?

Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish.

Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers have only the fins to transport. Shark meat is considered low value and therefore not worth the cost of transporting the bulky shark bodies to market.

Any shark is taken-regardless of age, size, or species.

Longlines, used in shark finning operations, are the most significant cause of losses in shark populations worldwide.

Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored.

Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed for their fins, annually.

One pound of dried shark fin can retail for $300 or more. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry.

Impacts of Shark Finning

Over 8,000 tons of shark fins are processed each year. The fins only amount to 4% of a shark's bodyweight. This means that some 200,000 tons of shark are thrown back into the sea and discarded.

Some shark populations have reduced from 70% in some species to up to 95% in other species.

Already 18 species of sharks have been listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The shark fin is used as a main ingredient in a shark fin soup, which is a Chinese "delicacy." The actual shark fin is tasteless, which is why the fin is boiled in a chicken or beef broth to add flavor. The United States Environmental protection agency advises women and young children to avoid it due to high mercury levels. What’s more, shark fins are often treated with hydrogen peroxide in order to make their color more appealing to consumers.

Tell China Yuan Seafood Restaurant & Hong Kong House to remove this cruel and unhealthy item from their menus!