When Jenny Chau and Ben Lai tie the knot atop Grouse Mountain next month, theyll be leaving behind generations of Chinese wedding tradition.
The two have opted not to serve shark fin soup to the 140 guests at their wedding banquet, taking a stand on an environmental and ethical food debate thats cropping up across the Lower Mainland.
The pricey delicacy has drawn fire in recent years for the inhumane way in which its main ingredient is harvested, with fins typically hacked off living sharks before the animals are thrown back into the ocean to bleed to death. Removing them in large numbers also upsets ocean ecosystems, according to conservationists, because it allows prey species to become overpopulated.
Weve been looking at videos and understanding how exactly they kill the sharks for their fins, Chau said. Its inhumane, and its not environmentally friendly. We just dont think this is a must. There are so many substitutes we can replace it with.
The brides parents are supportive of the idea, though they werent excited at first, worrying what older wedding guests might think. Serving the soup is considered a symbol of a familys status. Failing to serve shark fin to wedding guests could invite suspicion about a familys means.
A lot of people are against it, because it is a prestige thing, and they think its a must especially the older generation, said Chau.
The bride-to-be has eaten the soup at many Chinese weddings herself, but the trend is changing, especially among young Chinese couples who are increasingly choosing to host their wedding receptions at locations other than Chinese restaurants, such as resorts and golf courses.
Shark Truth, a Burnaby-based advocacy group, is holding a contest aimed at encouraging young Chinese couples to find alternatives to shark fin. This years winning contestants will receive a honeymoon in the Galapagos Islands.
Lai, a chef in Richmond, competed in another Shark Truth contest to find a tasty alternative to the soup last year.
Hes actually using potato squash, which has kind of the same texture, Chau said.
Chau and Lais decision comes as municipal governments are facing lobbies to ban shark fin from local menus. City of North Vancouver council voted in June to have staff craft a bylaw that would ban the possession, sale or distribution of shark fin within city limits.
Thats good to hear, Chau said. One step at a time, we can slowly get people to oppose (it).
To vote for Chau and Lai in the Shark Truth wedding contest, visit www.happyheartslovesharks.org.
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