As Vancouver began nailing its colours to the anti-shark fin mast, the City of Richmond was quick to step back from taking a position on the proposed regional ban.
Vancouver council passed a motion Tuesday, seeking a regional shark fin and giving local Chinese restaurants about a year to clear existing inventories.
Coun. Kerry Jang said city staff will consult with colleagues from Richmond, Burnaby, and potentially Surrey - all areas with shark fin restaurant sales - to hash out a regional approach on bylaws and enforcement.
But inaccurate media reports which stated Richmond was already on board with the ban forced the city to send out a press release to "clarify" its position, stating that it "has not yet adopted or endorsed a formal position on banning shark fins."
Although welcoming Vancouver's invitation to talk, Richmond is still investigating the issue, according to the city.
Meanwhile, David Chung, owner of the Jade Seafood Restaurant in the city centre and head of the BC Asian Restaurant and Cafe Owners Association, has warned he'll declare war on any ban.
He told media that he will organize protests, petitions and take legal action if necessary.
He claimed his shark fin products are federally approved and are not derived from the cruel act of finning, whereby sharks are caught, have their fins sliced off and then dumped back into the sea to die.
However, when confronted at his restaurant last month about the issue, Chung said he didn't know what species of shark he serves and whether they are endangered.
More recently, Chung said it's people's right to eat what they want and that any such ban is "culturally insensitive."
In his culture, serving a dish such as shark fin soup to someone is necessary to show sincerity in your gratitude, he added.
The envisioned ban would not make possession of shark fins illegal, as is the case in Toronto.
Coun. Jang estimated the participating municipalities would come back with co-ordinated bans against shark fin trading in about a year, giving restaurants some time to sell existing stocks.
In the Chinese community the dried fins, which can cost about $100 per serving, are presented at weddings or shared with friends and prospective business partners at restaurants as an indicator of status.
But consumption of the fins is putting sharks in danger of extinction, advocates say.
Jang acknowledged that within the local Chinese community and businesses there is some backlash against his motion, but said younger community members have been steadily moving away from the traditional dish.
A number of Lower Mainland municipalities have already banned shark fins, including North Vancouver city, Maple Ridge and Coquitlam.
Jang said for a Vancouver ban to be effective, and in order to reduce shark fin consumption nationally, other municipalities such as Richmond, Burnaby and Surrey must join Vancouver's initiative.
"We are deeply concerned about the inhumane harvesting of shark fins," said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
"But there are numerous issues to consider, including legal and cultural concerns, as well as the best approach for tackling this issue, which can include education and regulation, as well as taking a coordinated approach with our neighbouring cities.
We've asked our staff to look into all these issues before we make a final decision."
