Actually, I want a fin-free world. But let’s start...

Actually, I want a fin-free world. But let’s start with Chinese New Year. Baby steps after all.

Having grown up in Singapore, I have seen and felt the magic of Chinese New Year. It’s so red, so much food… so much fun! I lived there long enough to remember when fireworks were allowed, and how quiet it was when they were banned. I remember getting ang paos from my Mum’s friends, thinking that it was cheating because I wasn’t Chinese. Best of all, in those days, it also meant half-term break.

I don’t get ang paos these days, or half-term breaks but CNY is better. Every year it’s better. Every year less and less people are willing to consume and/or serve Shark’s Fin Soup. And it’s taken years to get here.

More and more of the younger generations are educated and aware of the issues surrounding this tradition, and are taking a stand. It may seem trivial to you, to make this your profile picture on whatever social media, but it shows support. It shows that the people breaking tradition, and going against their families on this issue have global support.

A Singaporean friend of mine managed to wean her entire family off eating it, another friend refused to be a bridesmaid or even attend her best friend’s wedding if she served the soup. She also asked people not to give her presents for her birthday but to pledge to stop eating shark’s fin soup.

Support them, support sharks, and Happy Year of the Snake!

sharks sharks fin soup chinese new year environment endangered species shark finning project fin