In 2011, California lawmakers passed a law banning the controversial shark fin trade. Though the law doesn't go into effect until January, it's already sparked discontent among chefs and seafood distributors in San Francisco's Chinatown, where shark fin soup remains a popular delicacy.
The fins used to make shark fin soup, an ancient Asian delicacy found worldwide, are tasteless. When boiled down they add a stringy, chewy texture to a delicate broth.
A bowl of it can run up to $50 — a pound of dried shark fins can run to $350.
But despite their popularity, there's growing concern over how the fins are collected. It's a practice known as finning.
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