Philippine Airlines Quits Flying Shark Fins Amid Outcry

Jakarta Globe – AFP,  Apr 24, 2014

A family eats shark fin soup at Vancouver's Grand Honor Chinese restaurant
 in Vancouver, British Columbia, in this file photo. Philippine Airlines (PAL) said
on April 24, 2014 it has stopped flying shark fin cargoes. (Reuters Photo/Ben Nelms)

Manila. Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Thursday it has stopped flying shark fin cargoes, joining a number of other Asia-Pacific carriers in taking a stand for marine conservation.

The fins are used in shark fin soup, a much-valued delicacy in Hong Kong and China.

Conservationists say booming demand for such fins has put pressure on the world’s shark populations, prompting calls for measures to restrict their trade.

“PAL values the issue on protection and conservation of endangered marine life seriously, recognizing that the company’s long-term interest is and should be consistent with sustainable and responsible business practices,” a PAL statement said.

Air New Zealand as well as South Korea’s two largest airlines, Korean Air and Asiana, separately announced last year that they would ban shark fins from their cargo flights, a year after Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific also stopped shipping them.

Fiji Airways announced last year it would no longer carry “shark fins and shark-related products sourced from unsustainable and unverified sources”, and would only carry fins from species not threatened with extinction.

Agence France-Presse

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Garuda Bans Shark Fin Transport on Flights: WWF-Indonesia

The Jakarta Globe, November 15, 2013

In this file picture taken on January 2, 2013 shark fins drying in the sun cover
the roof of a factory building in Hong Kong. (AFP Photo/Antony Dickson)

The World Wildlife Fund-Indonesia praised the nation’s flagship carrier Garuda-Indonesia on Friday for banning the transportation of shark fins aboard all flights.

The blanket embargo, effective on Oct. 8, has Garuda joining a growing list of international airlines taking a stance against the destructive practice. Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Emirates Airlines, Fiji Airways and Korean Air are among the carriers to ban the transport of shark fins, the statement read.

“WWF-Indonesia commends this move by Garuda Indonesia,” Nazir Foead, conservation director for WWF-Indonesia, said. “Their policy to cease transporting shark fin products is a positive step that should generate further momentum in the shark conservation movement.”

The airline’s commitment represents a major step in curbing the global trade of shark fins. Garuda previously transported some 36 tons of shark fins a year, WWF-Indonesia said. Indonesia is the world’s leading source of shark fins — which are used as the main ingredient in a popular, and expensive, Chinese soup.

The practice has grabbed the attention of conservations as global shark populations decline.

WWF-Indonesia has launched a “Save Our Sharks,” campaign and is working with the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries to work on drafting a national shark conservation plan.

Related Articles:

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Lights out for landmarks observing Earth Hour

Triwik Kurniasari, THE JAKARTA POST, JAKARTA | Fri, 03/20/2009 1:10 PM

Areas in the heart of the capital will be in darkness following the city administration's commitment to turn off its lights for an hour to raise awareness about climate change.

The Earth Hour 2009 campaign, endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), will take place on March 28, from 8:30 p.m to 9:30p.m.

This will be the first time the city participates in Earth Hour.

Rizal Malik, a member of WWF-Indonesia's Board of Trustees, said Thursday that some government offices and private companies in Jakarta's main business districts had declared their commitment to Earth Hour.

The administration also plans to switch off the lights at some of the city's iconic spots in Central Jakarta, such as the National Monument, Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, City Hall, Pemuda Statue and Arjuna Wiwaha Statue.

"The event is aimed at raising people's awareness to save energy towards sustainable development," said Rizal.

"This is just the first step. We encourage people to turn off unused lights every day of the year," he said.

Jakarta will be the first city in the country to embrace Earth Hour.

Rizal said the campaign would kick off in Jakarta because the city has the highest electricity consumption in Indonesia.

"Some 20 percent of Indonesia's electricity consumers are in the capital. On the other hand, other places have to struggle to obtain adequate power supplies," he said.

"In the city, households have recorded the highest electricity consumption, at about 34 percent, while business sector is at 29 percent," he said, adding that so far there were about 12,000 people who had agreed to participate in Earth Hour 2009.

The WWF expects that the event can save 10 percent of the city's electricity consumption.

"Based on that assumption, the event will save 300 megawatts, which is enough to switch off one power plant. The event will also save a total of Rp 200 million (US$17,500) spent on electricity," Rizal said.

He urged the city to enforce laws on energy-saving to cut the city's electricity consumption.

"It will mean something. But Jakartans should support the administration's steps," Rizal said.

The Earth Hour initiative was started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million people switched off their lights for an hour.

In 2008, the number grew to some 50 million supporters from 370 cities in 35 countries.

As of Mar. 17, 1,539 cities from 80 countries have committed to participating in Earth Hour 2009, exceeding this year's target of 1,000 cities around the world.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said the administration would team up with city police to secure the planned blackout areas.