Anti-whaling campaigner targets shark fin industry

Jul 31, 2011, 7:06 GMT

Hong Kong - An anti-whaling campaigner is setting his sights on the shark fin industry, a newspaper report said Sunday.

Gary Stokes, 39, a Hong Kong-based photographer and member of the Sea Shepherd conservation group, aims to educate youngsters about the ecological harm done by killing sharks, the Sunday Morning Post said.

'It's said that over 100 million sharks die per year, but 73 million sharks are killed a year specifically just for shark fin soup. When you consider this, it's completely unsustainable.'

Sea Shepherd activists have gained notoriety by harassing Japanese whaling fleets in the Southern Sea.

The latest initiative comes amid mounting pressure to limit the trade in shark fins.

Several restaurants in Hong Kong have stopped serving shark fin, which is considered a delicacy at high-end banquets.

About 9,000 tons of fins are imported into the territory per year, according to Hong Kong government figures, making it one of the biggest consumer markets along with mainland China and Taiwan.