An animal rights protection group yesterday said that after a six-month campaign promoting a boycott of shark fin in wedding banquets, 14 couples have told them about their decision to serve shark fin-free meals, saving an estimated 1,738 sharks.
The Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) said that between 26 million and 73 million sharks are killed every year worldwide for shark fin dishes in Asia, taking a number of shark species to the brink of extinction.
Among the more than 400 species of sharks, 111 are close to becoming endangered species, the group said.
The group, in association with the Humane Society International, launched a campaign in June urging couples to say no to shark fin soup in their wedding banquets to stop the overfishing of sharks and thereby help maintain a sustainable ocean environment.
EAST said that although 44 couples expressed their support and willingness to join the campaign, many of them encountered family members who refused to give up the ingredient, especially senior family members who believe that face would be lost if costly shark fin soup was not included on the menu.
Fourteen couples have sent copies of their shark fin-free wedding banquet menus to the group, reaching a total of about 428 tables or 4,280 guests, the group said, adding that this may have saved 1,738 sharks.
“The way sharks are slaughtered for their fins is cruel and it’s only to satisfy people’s false pride in serving high-class cuisine,” EAST said.
Newlyweds surnamed Liu (劉) and Kuo (郭), who chose a shark-fin-free menu for their wedding banquet, said of the tradition of eating shark fin: “It causes the extinction of hundreds of species of sharks and the destruction of the marine ecology. This is something we are firmly against.”
The two groups are urging people to boycott the consumption of shark fins, which is also a popular dish during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS