Forget shark fin soup

I was glad to see (China Daily, March 14) that Mr Xu Zhihong has proposed that shark fin dishes be taken off restaurant menus before the 2008 Olympic Games. This is a step in the right direction, but the implication of the article is that it is acceptable for shark fin soup to be on the menu again after the games.

I urge Xu Zhihong and other lawmakers not to limit their concerns to what might upset foreign guests. China should be considering the facts about shark numbers and shark biology, and the devastation caused by the shark fin trade to shark populations around the world.