The most popular farmed fish species in Taiwan may soon help save endangered sharks. It turns out that the caudal fins of Taiwan tilapia can replace shark dorsal and pectoral fins in the highly sought-after shark fin soup, according to Wang Yi-feng, general manager of the Kouhu Fisheries Co-operative in Yunlin County and a Taiwan tilapia expert.
Just over a year ago, Wang began studying how to turn tilapia tail fins into something similar to processed shark fins. Tilapia fins are already on the market as a substitute and their increasing popularity could lower the demand that has been driving the overfishing of sharks, Taiwan Today reports.
"Caudal fins of Taiwan tilapia are a perfect stand-in for shark fins because they have the same appearance and texture," said Wang. "Most importantly, the fact that Taiwan tilapia is a farmed fish guarantees stable supplies of the delicacy, which could prevent sharks from being wiped out."
Just like shark fins, tilapia fins are made up primarily of cartilage, which is flavourless but has a desirable chewy consistency, Wang explained. As opposed to shark fins, which can be extremely harmful due to the high levels of mercury accumulated by sharks, Taiwan tilapia fins pose no threat of heavy metal poisoning.
Founded in 1997, the Kouhu Fisheries Co-operative is made up of more than 200 fish farm operators from three southern Taiwan counties with a combined pond area of 2,300 hectares, and represents a quarter of the country's total tilapia-farming area. Wang specified that the co-operative is Taiwan's largest exporter of frozen tilapia fillets and also runs in compliance with EU food standards while offering traceable product resumes.
Notably, shredded fins cost around US$120 per kilogram – one-quarter the cost of shredded shark fins. However, tilapia fins can only be used shredded because they are much smaller than shark fins, Wang added. The product is becoming increasingly trendy in Hong Kong, Japan and many five-star hotels in Taiwan. Currently, the Tilapia fins' monthly output stands at one tonne, but this is expected to double or triple by next year to meet growing market demand now that the manufacturing process has matured, said Wang.
FIS