(CN): Wildlife group urges guilt-free Chinese new year

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Link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK362070.htm

 

Wildlife group urges guilt-free Chinese new year

09 Feb 2007 04:00:43 GMT

Source: Reuters

 

BEIJING, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Chinese gearing up for traditional lunar new year

banquets should think about what they eat as it could be an endangered

species, a wildlife group said on Friday.

 

Buy sharks' fin, sea cucumber and abalone only if from sustainable sources

as stocks are dropping, and do not buy a rare moss whose name means " get

rich " in Chinese, wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC said in an emailed

statement.

 

" It's about being aware of what you consume, and the impact it can have on

species and the environment, " it quoted Timothy Lam of TRAFFIC in Hong Kong

as saying.

 

" Some people are not aware of which species are under pressure of

over-exploitation. Our advice is based on threats to wildlife and the

environment from unsustainable trade and consumer demand, " Lam said.

 

The group, a joint programme of the WWF and World Conservation Union, said

that abalone was particularly under threat from poaching and illegal

harvesting. " Ask your supplier if their abalone has been legally sourced,

regardless of the country it comes from, before buying, " the statement said.

 

It also warned that shark populations were under threat from finning, a

pratice where fishermen just take the valuable fin -- used to make a soup

served at auspicious occasions -- and dump the rest of the shark overboard

to bleed to death.

 

Shark fishing groups, however, dispute that this is widely practiced.

 

As well as avoiding the black " facai " moss, eaten in the belief it will

boost wealth, consumers should stay away from health tonics which contain

threatened species, such as tiger organs, turtles and pangolins.

 

By doing this, " you can avoid having a detrimental impact on the planet's

natural resources and (have) a guilt free Year of the Pig " , the statement

said.

 

Chinese are traditionally enthusiastic omnivores, and as incomes have risen

in recent years consumption of everything from beef to civet cat and sharks'

fin has grown accordingly.

 

The lunar Chinese new year starts on Feb. 18.

 

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