Mandarin Chinese Restaurant here in Hagåtña confirmed it serves shark fin soup, but told the Variety it is currently “out” when further queried.
A call made to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Guam to inquire about awareness of the soup’s prevalence on island led the chamber’s secretary, who seemingly misunderstood the question, to recommend VIP House Chinese Seafood Restaurant in Tumon as having “the best shark fin soup” on island.
VIP House confirmed it, too, offers shark fin soup. Chamber president George Lai was off-island and could not be reached for comment.
Local environmentalist Linda Tatreau said she is aware that shark fin soup is still being served on Guam.
Shark finning is prohibited on Guam. Tatreau suspects the local Chinese restaurants get their stock from China.
“You’re allowed to catch and eat sharks on Guam, but you’re not allowed to cut the fins off the sharks,” said Tatreau, who is also a George Washington High School teacher.
Tatreau is the advisor for the school’s environmental club, Marine Mania, and together with other various high schools’ environmental clubs, “Guawsome” was formed to bring more environmental awareness on island.
The group gathers every quarter to promote different environmental issues and this quarter happens to focus on shark fin awareness.
Shark finning is the process of capturing a shark and cutting off its fin.
Because the rest of the shark meat is of no value in the general marketplace, the shark is then thrown back into the oceans and left to die a slow and agonizing death, Tatreau said.
National statistics indicate that more sharks are captured for their fins than there are shark attacks on humans.
“Shark fins do not add flavor to shark fin soup. The reason people like to eat it is because of the gelatinous base the shark fin provides in the soup,” Tatreau said.
In addition, Tatreau said serving shark fin soup in Asian countries is symbolic of pride. She said Asian hosts who serve the soup places one up in the ladder of the social class.
Although Tatreau is aware of local laws banning shark finning, she said because local restaurants are allowed to order the fins to serve in their restaurants, Guam is essentially “condoning” shark finning on island.
The Guawsome group hopes to dissuade the public from eating shark fin soup as well as raise awareness to its harmful effects to the animals.
