Help End the Shark Slaughter

One hundred million sharks are killed each year. And thanks to President Trump, he just made America complicit in the slaughter. This  November, at a state dinner, to welcome the American President, Vietnam served Trump shark fin soup.

Like many meat-based delicacies, what it takes to put a bowl of shark fin soup on your place is no less than inhumane. Fisherman, encouraged by high prices for the shark fin, catch hundreds of thousands of sharks a day, then slice off their fins while they are still alive. They often don't even bother with the rest of the fish, instead, they toss it back into the water - suffering and in pain - to sink to the bottom and drown.

Aside from the cruelty, shark overfishing is a serious concern. With such high numbers caught each year, conservationists worry that sharks could soon become endangered. This would cause serious repercussions in the marine ecosystem as the carnivorous fish is apex predator and helps to keep a healthy balance among other fish species by keeping their populations in check.

Malaysia, and China - the world's largest consumer of shark fin soup - have banned the dish from official functions. They recognize that the shark fin harvest is unsustainable and shunning the meal sends a strong message to their citizens. Instead of treating the dish as a luxury, Vietnam needs to follow in Malaysia and China's footsteps and ban this shameful dish from official functions and work to end the sale of shark fins in their country altogether.

Please sign the petition and ask Vietnam's president Tran Dai Quang to end the shark slaughter. Ask him to ban shark fin soup in Vietnam.