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  Yahoo News 15 Sep 07
Malaysian ministry bans shark's fin soup

Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has struck off shark's fin soup from the menus at official functions, to help conserve the species, a report said Saturday.

Minister Azmi Khalid told the official Bernama news agency that the ministry had made the commitment to the Malaysian Nature Society.

"By refraining from the consumption of shark's fin soup, it is hoped that the ministry would contribute in one way or another towards the current conservation efforts for sharks species," he said.

"Their demise would start off a domino effect, which at each stage could result in the depletion or overpopulation of other fish and marine species leading to an imbalance in the marine ecosystem," he said.

Malaysia's population is dominated by Muslim Malays, but there are also large ethnic Chinese and Indian communities.

The Star 14 Sep 07
No more shark's fin soup
By DEVID RAJAH

PUTRAJAYA: Shark’s fin soup is off the menu at all functions and events organised by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and agencies under it.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid made this pledge as a commitment to the Malaysian Nature Society’s Selangor Branch Marine Group's effort to encourage individuals and organisations to stop serving the delicacy at corporate functions.

"Ultimately by refraining from the consumption of shark’s fin soup it is hoped that the ministry could contribute in one way or another towards current shark conservation efforts," said a statement from the ministry on Friday.

Azmi made the pledge to remove shark’s fin soup from his ministry’s lunch and dinner menu on Wednesday, the statement said.

The marine group had embarked on a series of activities and programmes to promote awareness about the plight of sharks and their importance to the marine ecosystem, plus the misconception of the delicacy.

"Sharks are apex predators and a cornerstone species in the marine ecosystem. Their demise would start off a domino effect, which at each stage could result in the depletion or overpopulation of other fish and marine species leading to an imbalance in the marine ecosystem," said the statement.
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