Campaign to ban shark fin soup supported by NF councillor

A campaign to ban shark fins from Toronto menus has hooked the attention of a Niagara Falls councillor.

Three councillors introduced a motion at Toronto city council on Wednesday calling for a bylaw that would ban the sale and possession of the shark fins in Canada's largest city. The city is expected to make a decision this fall.

While shark fin soup is considered a delicacy to some, the product has come under criticism due to the harvesting process.

If the Toronto politicians are successful with their proposed bylaw, Niagara Falls Coun. Wayne Thomson plans to follow suit.

"I tried to get some kind of ban before but it was never suggested to me that this could be a local bylaw," he said.

"If it's possible, I'm going to make another attempt at it."

Thomson first brought the issue to council in 2009 after watching several documentaries on how shark fins are harvested.

"They were pulling the sharks onto the boats, cutting the fins off and then throwing the sharks back into the water alive," he said. "They just sink to the bottom and drown."

Thomson said he found the images "extremely disturbing."

"It was above and beyond acceptable treatment...even for sharks."

After he voiced his concerns at council, Thomson said he was inundated with emails from individuals who shared his outrage.

He also learned that shark fin soup was being offered at a restaurant at Fallsview Casino Resort.

Shark fin has been served at the Golden Lotus since the casino opened in 2007.

"It is a specialty product stocked for our Asian clientele, many of whom demand it as part of their meals when they visit our property," said Greg Medulun, the casinos director of communications.

While it is a legal product purchased from an Ontario supplier, Medulun said the casino understands it is somewhat controversial.

"We respect everyone's views on this matter," he said. "Because we consider those opposed to the sale of this product as stakeholders in our business in the same way we do those who demand we serve it, we will continue to take all opinions seriously while evaluating our continued use of it."

Last month, Brantford became the first city in Canada to ban the sale of shark fins.

According to WildAid Canada, the environmental protection group that brought the bylaw proposal to Brantford and is supporting the Toronto bid, up to 73 million sharks are killed each year, primarily for their fins.

shannon's mADD family: Wednesday, June 22, 2011

We had a great day on the beach yesterday. Because the kids are still in school up here, the week days are pretty quiet. Yesterday, we had the entire beach to ourselves. This is somewhat ideal since the kids like to play baseball with the paddle ball and I don't have to watch in fear as the other beach patrons give me dirty looks when the ball hits their umbrella or grandmother. The only part that really bothers me is the odds increasing that one of my kids will be attacked by a shark.

"Wow," I hear you thinking, 'I didn't realize that was that common up there!" Well, actually, it isn't at all. I have the same concerns no matter what body of water my children are swimming in. Lake...piranha; the ocean in Delaware where my Dad's beach house is...rabid dolphin; Florida...well, shark again or mutant alligator; swimming pool...evil shape-shifting blob that sucks you down the drain of the pool. Are you sensing a theme here?

You may be wondering what horrible experience I had as a child to precipitate these fears. Was I attacked in the water as a child? No. This would be the curse of watching movies like Jaws, Piranha, and Poltergeist, and of having a very vivd and over-active imagination. This fear was only worsened when a low flying helicopter went overhead. I immediately assume they are investigating the sixteen sharks right in front of where my kids are swimming. I stare at the helicopter, waiting for the flare or siren to tell me to get the kids out of the water. When one doesn't arrive, I wonder if they assume I already know about the shark warning I must have missed but let my children swim there anyway. This was then followed by a low flying military plane. Again, my anxiety level only increases. With every wave I anticipate a large jaw of teeth and sightless killing machine eyes barreling straight for one of the boys.

When the kids can't understand why I am so exhausted after a day at the beach, mainly watching them swim in the ocean, I cannot explain that my nervous system has been on overdrive for five hours waiting for them to be attacked by a shark or get sucked into the ocean. All of this I keep contained because I am well aware of the fact that I am insane and, once again, I do not want to pass my psychotic way of thinking onto my children so that they never enjoy swimming again.

Every summer they ask why I don't go in the water.

Everything Kids' Sharks Book, Dive Into Fun-infested Waters!

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Jumbo Animal Puzzle & Activity Book, Enter the Wild Kingdom of Mind-Bending Fun!

U. S. Navy Diving Manual, Air Diving