Shark fin off the menu at top hotel group

The Peninsula Hotels will introduce a company- wide ban on the consumption and serving of shark fin at its properties from January 1.

Holding company Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH) said the move is in line with the company’s sustainability vision.

In a statement, the company said, “While some individual hotels and restaurants around the world have removed shark fin from their menus, The Peninsula Hotels is the first international hotel group to take such a definitive stand on the issue of shark fin across all hotels and restaurants in the company.”

Shark fin has traditionally been a delicacy served at Asian weddings, celebrations and special event banquets, “but with 143 sharks being killed every minute for shark fin consumption, the company’s chefs have been directed to develop new dishes for these occasions to replace shark fin on all menus”, HSH said.

Clement K.M. Kwok, chief executive of HSH, added, “As Asia’s oldest hotel company, we also hope that our decision will inspire other hospitality companies to do the same and that our industry will play a role in helping to preserve the bio-diversity of our oceans.”