‘Say no to shark fin’ campaign launched

Save the sharks: Children and fisheries officials kicking off the campaign in Miri.

MIRI: A national campaign has begun, telling Malaysians to “Say No To Shark Fin Consumption”.

“This is part of our efforts towards the preservation of sharks and other endangered marine life in our waters,” Fisheries Department director-general Datuk Ismail Abu Hassan said.

The campaign kicked off here yesterday and will soon be followed by similar campaigns in Pahang, Perak, Sabah and the rest of the country.

Sarawak Assistant Minister for Rural Economy and Fisheries Datuk Julaihi Narawi, who launched the Sarawak-level campaign, said the Government would take the lead by banning shark fin soup from official functions.

“We want to see the private sector doing the same, too, and stop serving shark fin soup during their gatherings.

“We will also appeal to the restaurants, eateries and retail shops to boycott shark fin products,” he said.

Julaihi said the state Fisheries Department would enlist the help of the estimated 16,000 fishermen in the state to join the campaign by instructing them not to catch any sharks.

“There are at least 67 species of sharks in our waters. Malaysia has the fourth highest number of sharks species in the world after Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

“More species are becoming endangered and 27 countries have already banned shark finning and consumption of shark fin, including China and Hong Kong,” he added.