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The worst threat to shark populations is the growing appetite for the Asian delicacy shark-fin soup. Once a regional Cantonese dish affordable by only the wealthy and therefore a symbol of lavish hospitality, the dish is becoming increasingly common as China, Thailand, and other nations become more prosperous. Even though the price can be as much as $100 a bowl, shark-fin soup is widely available in East and Southeast Asia as well as in Asian enclaves abroad. A reporter found dried shark fins being sold in San Francisco for $328 per pound. Ironically, the dried and processed fins have no taste, but they add a desired gelatinous body to the soup.
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