Shark fin soup at Disneyland HK

[DocVikingo]

For those unfamiliar with this practice, here is a brief introduction with some photos----> http://www.sharkattacks.com/sharksvictims.htm

If you don't like what you read, you can contact:

Compliments, Complaints, and Suggestions
Walt Disney World Guest Communications
P.O. Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040
Email----> wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Hong Kong Park email is ----> http://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/eng/discover/contactus_emailus_form.html


"Disneyland weddings for the young and wealthy
The Standard
Sylvia Hui

May 18, 2005

Hong Kong couples who want to live out their fantasies can do so at Hong Kong Disneyland - for a hefty price.

Starting today, couples can book Chinese banquet-style wedding receptions with a Mickey Mouse touch at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel from HK$11,457 a table, Hong Kong Disneyland executives announced Tuesday.

More than 1,000 inquiries, most coming from couples in the territory, have already been received. Those on the waiting list will have priority.

``We are targeting Hong Kong couples mostly, but later we could consider bringing in couples from the mainland and Southeast Asia,'' said Roy Hardy, vice president of the theme park's marketing and sales.

The hefty price tag comprises a food charge of HK$8,888 for a 12-person table, beverages and a 10 percent service charge, which is on a par with banquet rates at the luxury Peninsula Hotel and pricier when compared with other top hotels in the territory.

The cheapest banquet packages at the Island Shangri-la Hotel, for example, come at HK$7,388 per table exclusive of beverages and service charge, while the Mandarin Oriental charges HK$6,688 for the same.

The most expensive banquet package Disneyland offers is a steep HK$15,857 per table, inclusive of beverages, service charge and six tickets to the theme park.

The menus feature traditional Chinese banquet delicacies such as roast suckling pig, shark's fin soup and sliced abalone. "


According to the latest from CBS news, despite pleas from a number of internationally recognized agencies----> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/23/tech/main697204.shtml Disney has not been willing to follow its stated policy on "Enviromentality" ----> http://corporate.disney.go.com/environmentality/ .

Do the right thing.

DocVikingo

 

[H2Andy]

i have several questions, and i don't mean to be argumentative (perhaps ignorant)

is the shark fishery regulated? which species of sharks are harvested? are
those species regulated? are they in danger of extintion?

how is shark fin soup different from swordfish steak?

 

[Vie]

The menus feature traditional Chinese banquet delicacies such as roast suckling pig, shark's fin soup and sliced abalone. "

Defend the sharks—fair enough, but what about the poor abalone?

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/YearInReview/yir98/chapter02/chapter02pg2.html

http://www.psmfc.org/recfin/pub/kelp/no6/WHITEAB.htm

 

[dive_lover88]

Save The Poor Sharks And Abalones!!

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Well,
It seams the Disney Hong Kong is going to sell shark fin soup, along with a few other delicacies. I'm just curious what people think about that. Especially since the main article on the Scubaboard Home Page is about how devastating it has been to the Galapagos. Anyway, let me know what you think. The link to the article is below.


Chad

Disney & Shark Fins

 

[Vie]

Please see http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=98349

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

And people closer to home club baby seals, where do you put your efforts? There is a fine line between eco-conscience and intolerance sometimes. Try and put yourself in their position, what if India was the world's superpower and we were the topic of discussion for eating bovines. Exactly where does your sphere of influence end?

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Thanks Vie for point my comments here!

As for ChiTowns comment on sphere of influence! Are you meaning the religious connotation of eating a cow? Interesting point if it is! But I don't know if it's a question of right or wrong. It seams to be more a question of environmental ecology. Personally I don't eat Beef, but at least in general we grow what we eat. How were depleting and poisoning our ground water because of cattle is another topic!
With finning, I don't quite agree with the practice of some countries sending their ships to other peoples countries to decimate their shark population for a mere fin. The Galapagos are a great example. I guess if those countries were raising all the sharks they ate, it might be a totally different conversation.

CO

 

[Quero]

And people closer to home club baby seals, where do you put your efforts? There is a fine line between eco-conscience and intolerance sometimes. Try and put yourself in their position, what if India was the world's superpower and we were the topic of discussion for eating bovines. Exactly where does your sphere of influence end?

Who are the "we" and the "they" you're talking about here? Where is "home"? Some of "us" live in Asia and are part of Chinese families with Chinese traditions (certain of which we embrace, and others of which we would like to see die out). Please don't be so parochial.

I don't believe its a question of intolerance of people on the basis of having a liking for a particular food... it's the provenance of the foodstuff that makes this an issue: shark populations are at risk; bovine populations are not. Your hypothetical India example strikes me as being similar to the real-life matter of Koreans eating dog.... I for one found it unreasonable that some animal rights folks pressured the Koreans to give up dogmeat at the time they hosted the World Cup soccer tournament. Shark fin soup is "a different kettle of fish" altogether. IMO, CD_in_Chitown, you're comparing apples and cabbages. (And as I'm a vegetarian, I personally wouldn't eat any of the above food items, except, of course, the apples and cabbages.)

Plus, I don't believe there any rule against advocating both for the baby seals and for the sharks, if one is so inclined.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Perhaps the comparison is not valid, I am not trying to enrage only play devil's advocate. Ask yourself why you are bothered by this, and if it is truly ecological then by all means do something.

After living in Asia for a time and seeing how xenophobic Americans can be I am always jaded when I hear well-meaning speech against the practices of another culture.

Would you be appeased if they served farm-raised shark, and sent the rest of the meat to a culture that would enjoy blackened shark steaks?