Richard Branson & WildAid say no to shark fin soup
- By Greg Rose -
- Jul 20, 2012
Richard Branson and WildAid are leading worldwide calls to save sharks and stop the sale of shark fin soup.
WildAid was involved in China’s first Public Service Announcement this week, in which leading CEOs called on the business community to say no to shark fin soup.
Mr. Huang Nubo (Chairman, Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group) was one of the CEOs involved. He said: “We filmed the PSA in order to fulfill our social responsibility to China and the world as Chinese entrepreneurs. We urge other Chinese business leaders to support shark conservation and say no to shark fin soup.”
Meanwhile, Richard Branson recently swum with whale sharks to raise awareness of their plight, and help change the longstanding negative image of sharks around the globe.
Watch his interview with Soledad O’Brien below, in which Richard explained how he is determined to raise awareness about the drastic effects of hunting sharks for their fins.
There has been some significant progress. Earlier this month, the Government Offices Administration of the State Council agreed to stop serving shark fin soup at official banquets, while similar moves from local governments have been reported.
WildAid is running a huge public awareness campaign in China at the moment. Peter Knights, Executive Director of WildAid, commented: "We hope this is the first step in comprehensive legal protection for sharks in China. We are thrilled to have the support of Mr. Huang, Ms. Wei, and other CEOs representing the Chinese business community."
Fins from up to 73 million sharks are used every year to make shark fin soup and related food products. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that 1/3 of the world’s pelagic shark species are threatened with extinction, with certain species experiencing declines over 90%.
By Greg Rose. Content Manager. Tweets @greglrose and blogs at greglrose.com
