Come to think of it, sharks are still being caught and ‘killed’ by fishermen despite people at large from Asia having tried to save them from extinction, by no longer taking sharks fin soup.

For the business point of view, shark hunters will continue to catch them, as beside the fins it is still a lucrative and viable business because there is a big market for their cartilege and livers, let alone other intrinsic parts, too, that you and I do not know.

In fact, shark cartilage is widely used to help people regenerate their bones’ strength and growth, whilst their livers have been removed to produce shark liver oil.

To fish and chips lovers, surely you all know that some outlets use shark meat to wrap up fish and chips orders since there is no bone and it is rather fleshy. And, back in Malaysia, if you search in the wet market place you would find small baby sharks sold openly to housewives to cook up a dish for the family.

So, if you were to check it out in the pharmacies and drugstores, you can find these shops selling shark cartilage and shark liver oil capsules because there are many claims for its high efficacy and potency as well as its intrinsic values on the labels.

It is sad to know that sharks are still killed not only for their fins only but for something else.

So, literally speaking it is a waste to dispose of the fins after harvesting the parts.

However, not until and unless the people stop taking these elixir supplements as well, sharks are still in danger and are killed for their body parts; and perhaps their fins, too, are sold discreetly to countries where people still take them despite the ban and protests from animal protection organisations.

Today one thing for certain is, if you were to check out some Chinese restaurants in the cities and towns, you will agree that most of them are still serving sharks fin soup as a delicacy for dinner sets during the Chinese New Year’s eve reunion dinners on Feb 18, 2015, let alone right up till the end of the 15 day-celebration.

Well, think about it? The irony is when you stop taking sharks fin soup, others are still taking shark cartilage and shark liver oil and what not!

LAU BING is a community activist and writer in Subang Jaya.