In February 2014, the Hilton group made an impactful announcement: it would eliminate shark fin from all of its 96 owned and managed properties in Asia Pacific by April 1, 2014. This decision was a significant blow to the waning popularity of the dish, once a staple at Chinese banquets.

[Image of shark fin served with scallops and crabmeat]

This decision was the culmination of a gradual phase-out. In December 2012, Hilton stopped readily offering shark fin at its managed properties in China and Southeast Asia, making it available only upon request. This shift led to region-specific bans, first in Southeast Asia on September 1, 2013, and then in Greater China on February 1, 2014. Existing banquet bookings made before these dates were honored accordingly.

Hilton’s decision followed similar moves by other hospitality leaders. The Peninsula Hotels group ceased serving shark fin and related products across its Chinese restaurants and banquet halls in January 2012, impacting locations in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Chicago. That same month, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts also enacted a shark fin ban in all its managed restaurants and stopped accepting new orders for shark fin products for banquet events.

[Image of a celebrity campaign against shark fins]

The airline industry has also been active in this movement. Cathay Pacific revealed a sustainability policy on shark fin in September 2012. Under this policy, the airline would only transport shark and shark-related products if shippers could provide independent verification of their sustainability. The South China Morning Post, known for closely tracking developments in the shark fin trade, reported in September 2013 that Cathay Pacific’s policy would fully take effect that year. The airline stopped entering into new shark fin shipping contracts, causing a significant drop in volume from 300 tonnes annually to around six tonnes.

Other airlines have taken similar steps. Air New Zealand, Asiana, Emirates SkyCargo, Fiji Airways, Garuda, KLM, Korean Air, and Qantas have all implemented full or partial bans on shark fin. KLM was an early adopter, implementing its ban back in 2001. However, there have been claims that these bans haven’t always been fully enforced.

Shark conservation efforts have gained momentum at the national level as well. Taiwan enacted fishing laws in 2012 that prohibited shark finning. In February 2014, nine Arab nations agreed to work together on shark conservation. The United States has seen several states enact shark fin bans, and India joined the movement in August 2013. New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries announced in January 2014 that it would eliminate shark finning from all its fisheries by October 1, 2015, with the exception of blue sharks, which would be protected from shark finning by October 1, 2016. Brunei also started enforcing a shark fin ban in 2014.

China, a major consumer of shark fin, took a step forward in December 2013. The Communist Party of China announced a ban on serving shark fin at official government functions as part of a broader effort to curb corruption and extravagance. An official notice from the Party and the State Council, China’s Cabinet, prohibited dishes containing shark fins, bird nests, and wild animal products at official receptions.

This decision mirrored an earlier announcement by the Hong Kong government in September 2013. The Hong Kong government stated its commitment to setting a strong example that went beyond the minimum standards outlined in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Consequently, shark fin, bluefin tuna, and black moss were removed from official entertainment menus due to conservation concerns.

The Hong Kong government spokesperson emphasized that while it’s impossible to list all concerning food items, eliminating these three items from official menus served as a starting point and aimed to raise public awareness about sustainability.

While the demand for shark fin has been decreasing in Singapore, prohibiting an item often leads to a surge in black market demand. In a recent example, 970 kg of illegal shark fin were confiscated in San Francisco.