Shark Fin Mooncakes
Posted by FiNS on Jul 9, 2009 in Blog, Environment, FiNS News, Marine LifeIf you’re looking for a particularly sinful dessert, why not drop by the Meritus Mandarin Hotel in Singapore, where you can indulge in mooncakes with shark fin.
Yes, that’s right. Shark fins in mooncakes. What’ll they think of next?
As described by website soshiok.com (part of Singapore Press Holdings), these heavenly desserts are perfect for “corporate gifts and special treats for yourself”. At only S$40+ for two shark fin mooncakes, who can possibly resist?
To quote soshiok.com’s recommendation: “Yes, you can feel the decadent crunch of the fins mingling with nuts, pork and juicy candied melon as you sink your teeth into this ultimate treat (Highly recommended).”
So all you silly conservationists and divers out there, stop whining about endangered animals and go grab this irresistible treat immediately. Heck, at only S$40 for a chance to chow down on rapidly disappearing animals, you should really stock up now while supplies last.
If you need directions to the hotel, click here. Or, according to soshiok.com, you can email dine.tms@meritus-hotels.com or call +65-6831-6285 to reserve your shark fin mooncakes.
I have just become aware of this extraordinary culinary disaster.
I am having difficulty believing that a respectable hotel would, under any circumstances, commit such a crass and disgusting act as to offer mooncakes with real shark’s fin.
The most generous interpretation I can put on this ridiculous and damaging act is to hope that Meritus Hotels is simply so ignorant, so culturally isolated, so disconnected from the larger global picture, that they have somehow convinced themselves that Shark’s Fin is an acceptable thing to eat, despite the overwhelming international evidence that sharks are a critical part of a healthy ocean ecosystem, that every species studied so far is probably endangered, that many species are in critical collapse and that it is therefore urgently necessary to protect sharks at all costs unless we wish to bring disaster upon ourselves even more rapidly that we are currently doing.
Please do yourself a favour and remove this offensive offering immediately and expunge all traces of promotion for it before you embarrass yourselves any more than you have already.
I think I might compose a nice little letter to the Straits Times, just to see how other people feel about this. Open discussion and debate is a healthy process to air important issues, don’t you agree?
Sincerely,
Dr. John Potter.
We are truly horrified at this advertisement. I have called Meritus Mandarin’s Media Relations today and all they could do is take down my name and number and say the Assistant Vice President Ms. Lim Ee Jin will call me back. However I have not heard from her or any representative yet. Shame on SPH promoting and advocating such a horrendous act of helping to exterminate a species. We are currently campaigning heavily on Facebook and the message has successfully reached all parts of the world. This barbaric act of promoting overpriced shark’s fin mooncake reflects badly on the hotel, Chinese people and Singapore in the eyes of the world! We are all standing united to boycott Meritus Mandarin and Pine Court Restaurant! SPH, you should not have shown this on your website! A bad marketing judgement that is already costing you your reputation.
At best and at my kindest, I can assume this is some clever means by FiNs to make people aware of these disgraceful mooncakes. However, what I really think is going on here is that a diving magazine is promoting finning of sharks by promoting these mooncakes, which is undoubtedly shameful. I agree with Dr John Potter that you should remove this posting and reconsider what you represent as a forum for diving enthusiasts.
I have already emailed the Meritus Mandarin. Please do the same or as Dr potter has suggested he might do, write to the Straits Times. Here is a copy of the email I have sent. Anyone is free to use it as a template.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing because it has come to my knowledge that the Meritus Mandarin is now selling mooncakes with shark’s fin. As an internationally reputable hotel chain that employs hundreds of educated and capable people to plan and manage promotions, marketing and public relations, I am certain that the knowledge that shark finning in unethical is not news to you. At least 38 million sharks are killed for fins each year and Singapore alone consumes about 470 tonnes of shark’s fin a year. Finning has also contributed significantly to the 90% decline in shark populations across the world’s oceans. While it is environmentally irresponsible and very unfortunate that your hotel and many others in our country insist on continuing to serve shark’s fin soup at weddings and other occasions as either a trademark of tradition or as a result of demand , it is unconscionable to now create new ‘delicacies’ that not only add to the purchasing and use of more shark’s fin but are also designed to stir up more of a demand for it.
All over the world, corporations and organisations have begun to take on a more environment-conscious approach to the way they carry out business. Fortunately, this heightened awareness means at least a chance for us to repair some of the damage we’ve caused to the environment. It is therefore all the more disheartening to see a large, reputable company like yours, promoting (in new and additional ways) the use and consumption of shark’s fin. Most of us can agree that business is about profits and one-upmanship over competitors, but now, more than ever, it is also about being responsible and ethical about the way that profit is accrued.
I sincerely hope you will reconsider the promotion and sale of your shark’s fin mooncakes. This is not only a poor reflection of Meritus Mandarin’s principles but also a blemish on the image of Singapore and Singaporeans as a globally conscious and responsible country and people.
Sincerely,
Anu Selva
BOYCOTT.
Hmm.
If Singapore consumes 470 tonnes of shark’s fin per year, how will a moral panic about mooncakes help?
I’m all for the conservation of the shark population, but that requires effort above and beyond online petitions and facebook activism (a contradiction in terms if there ever was one)
Sustained, long term effort. Not flash-in-a-pan HOLY SHIT SHARKFIN MOONCCAKES I HAAAATE YOOU reactivism, which only serve to assuage consciences and provide brief spasms of moral priapism.
Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Hi Judge Advocate Devil Corps,
What you said is true. However, the issue part here is they make a fool out of conversationists efforts.
Totally unethical and irresponsible.
This is so ironic coming from a diving magazine that I am inclined to believe that this has got to be a joke. Is this sarcasm, poorly executed? Or am I giving too much credit?
I just received an email from Lim Ee Jin (Assistant Vice President, Marketing Communications & Public Relations) which, if genuine, sounds like the reaction to their promotion of shark’s fin mooncake has resulted in a positive step – they’ve withdraewn the offer. Here’s the email:
Dear Mr. Potter,
Thank you very much for your email and valuable feedback.
The views of our customers are very important to us and we have taken note of concerns which have been expressed about the shark’s fin mooncakes. We have therefore decided to withdraw this promotion, with immediate effect. We are currently working to develop alternative options for our guests which will not involve the use of shark’s fin.
Your support is much appreciated and we hope to welcome you back to the revitalized Meritus Mandarin Singapore, and to the Pine Court Chinese Restaurant, in the near future.
If you have further queries, please feel free to contact me.
Warm Regards,
Lim Ee Jin
Assistant Vice President, Marketing Communications & Public Relations
Meritus Hotels & Resorts
37th Floor, 333 Orchard Road, Singapore 238867
Tel: 65 6831 6118 Fax: 65 6235 6688
http://www.meritus-hotels.com
truly disgraceful act. I agree fully with Weitao that the act of making a fool out of conservationists effort is total unacceptable. The person authorizing this publication should reflect, this article should be removed and a public apology should be made. Circulation of this on the web will put this through even greater scrutiny.
Yes! Awesome. Now if we can move on to that shark’s fin soup on their menu…
I am sure the post on shark fin mooncakes on this blog has achieved its desired effect. Credit to all of you for your awareness and for speaking out.
However, putting shark fin in mooncakes is only a tiny part of the problem. Wedding banquets and restaurant menus are the real problem. Perhaps we could try speaking out against restaurants and hotels putting shark fin on their set menus and have shark fin soup promotions.
Summer Palace at the Regent Hotel has stopped serving shark fin recently. With your help and support in speaking out, hopefully more hotels and restaurants will follow!
I hope they really did remove the shark fins mooncakes!!! That shows that they are responsive. & Thanks, Dr John Potter. Thanks, FINS for bringing this to our attention! I am sure FINS is just trying to be sarcastic… Furthermore, not all divers abstain from shark fins…
When my friends held their wedding at Meritus Mandarin, they (both non-divers) chose not to serve shark fins.
To put money where my mouth is, will be buying some mooncakes from Meritus Mandarin & will let them know that it is because they have withdrawn the shark fins ones!
Now, what are they going to do with all those unused sharkfins?
Perhaps we can look forward to amazing shark’s fin soup discounts, or perhaps Meritus Mandarin will deploy their supply of shark’s fin in less headline-grabbing comestibles.
Anu Selva,
I must correct you in your assumption. The team at FiNS includes close and personal friends of mine who’s allegiance to the welfare and conservation of Shark species around the World is unequivocal. To assume that this service in any way promotes the vile shark finning trade is incomprehensible. I suggest you revisit the thread and read it again so at to understand the tongue in cheek manner in which it was penned.
The result of this campaign has been a resounding success, congratulations to all who stood up to be counted and thanks to FiNS for bringing this to light.
Cheers