NBA star Yao Ming says no to shark fin sup

Shanghai Sharks ownerand NBA star, Yao Ming,  said on Friday no to shark fin sup so the overfishing of some species could stop.

Yao Ming

Yao Ming said at a press conference that Chinese have species that need their attention and protection. The Houston Rockets centre bought his hometown’s professional team and made a television commercial which urges Chinese to stop eating shark fin sup.

Yao Ming said to the media: “They are endangered by excessive hunting by humans and deprived of habitats due to human greed”.

The television commercial shows Yao in an upmarket restaurant when he pushes  away a bowl of shark fin soup that is served to him. And then a voice asks Yao Ming: “If you could see how shark fin is made, could you still eat it?” as he looks at an aquarium in the dining room where a bleeding shark flails after its fin has been cut off.

Then, sharply dressed diners are doing what the star does and they are pushing their bowls away while Yao Ming says: “When the buying stops, the killing can too”.

The commercial will run on China Central Television and on screens in government buildings.

It is said that shark fin soup improves one’s health and  is served at weddings and on important occasions to display wealth and it gets to cost more than 100 dollars a bowl.

WildAid said in a declaration that growing demand for shark fin had caused populations of some shark species to collapse by as much as 99 percent. WildAid President Steve Trent said “With China’s leadership, we can save the world’s sharks. With Yao’s help, this will happen a lot quicker.”