Cathay Pacific Cargo has relented on the carriage of shark’s fin, implementing a total ban on all carriage of the product. The move comes significantly after most other Asian carriers implemented bans. Defending its position, Cathay said it has a “long standing commitment to play our role in a more sustainable world,” adding, “we were one of the first airlines in the world to raise the awareness of the unsustainability of the global shark trade.”

The airline said it has not approved any shipments for shark’s fin for the past year since it instituted a controversial policy of carrying only ‘sustainable’ shark’s fin. The policy was endorsed by two highly respected international shark conservation agencies, but never-the-less came under intense criticism by a number of other environmental groups and conservationists.

The policy states that any request for shipment of shark or shark products must be assessed by an external panel of acknowledged experts. “Based on our procedure for assessing whether shark products are sustainably sourced, we have rejected all 15 shipment requests for shark-related products in the last 12 months,” Cathay said.

“We understand the community’s desire to promote responsible and sustainable marine sourcing practices, and this remains important to Cathay Pacific’s overall sustainable development goals. Therefore, on the issue of shark’s fin, with immediate effect we are happy to agree to ban the carriage. We will continue to review this practice, as we do all our sustainable development policies.”

Shark’s fin soup is a traditional soup and delicacy of Chinese cuisine and is typically served at special occasions such as weddings and banquets, or as a luxury item in Chinese culture. With rising wealth in Asia and China in particular, the demand for shark’s fins has been steadily on the rise,  threatening certain species of sharks with extinction.