Asian demand for shark fins threatens Colombian species

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2007

BOGOTA (AFP) — When Colombian naval officials seized two tonnes of shark fins in a boat off the Pacific coast last week, they threw a spotlight on a huge black market serving hungry Asian markets which is blamed for pushing some species toward extinction.

Asian consumers prize the fins for use in making status-symbol soups -- and one pound (450 grams) of fin can fetch 300 dollars. Some shark-fin soups go for as much as 90 dollars a bowl in the countries where the dish is most popular: China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

The Colombian-flagged vessel was arrested 18 nautical miles from Malpelo island, a UNESCO natural world heritage site off Colombia's Pacific coastline.

It was crammed with the fins of endangered...