Shark Fin Soup May be Banned in CA

No more shark fin soup for you. A recent bill proposed by the California Legislature aiming to end the sale and possession of shark fins, including serving the traditional shark's fin soup in San Francisco's Chinatown, is dividing the city of devoted foodies and environmentalists. The soup is a delicacy in China—and making it results in the deaths of over 73 million sharks per year. And especially horrible deaths, too: The fins are typically hacked off live sharks, which are then thrown back in the ocean to die. Aquariums, chefs, sport fishermen, and environmental groups have come out in favor of the bill, but others feel bound to soup tradition. State Senator Leland Yee, who is running for mayor of San Francisco, said the ban should not outlaw fin-cutting from legally caught sharks. “There ought to be a way to find a balance between the environment and preserving culture and heritage,” he said.