With recent outcries against Cathay Pacific's carriage of shark fin, there's news just in that Hong Kong's airline giant has finally banned the carriage of shark fin with immediate effect.
After HK Express became the first Hong Kong airline to make its move against the trade, immense pressure was put on Cathay to join the ranks of over 30 other airlines upholding the ban including British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates.
Until now, the airline practiced a dubiously vague 'sustainable shark fin policy' which saw them not approve any fin shipments in the past year. This policy, reached in agreement with two international shark conservation agencies, stated that any request for the shipment of shark or shark products had to be assessed by an external panel of acknowledged experts.
Though Cathay's procedure for assessing the sustainable sourcing of shark products rejected all 15 shipment requests for shark-related products in the last 12 months, activists such as the Hong Kong Shark Foundation disagreed, and rightly so. Petitions were signed, protests were staged and voices have been heard.
Well done Cathay. A true win for nature and shark survival.