It is time again to call on your support to voice your dissent about corporate irresponsibility in shark fin promotion - this time, it's Disneyland Hong Kong.

On May 18, 2005, The Standard (HK) (article below) reported that Disneyland Hong Kong is trying to attract newlyweds to host their wedding banquets at the themed park by offering, amongst other dish, shark fins. At thesame time, a quick check on Disney's website reveals that they also boast various "Environmentality" projects and are involved in wildlife conservation through the "Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund". In their own words, the Fund channels resources towards “biological hotspots - areas rich in plant and animal life at risk of imminent destruction.”

Disney is currently gearing up for its launch in December 2005, there is bound to be substantial publicity and media interest surrounding the themed park during the months leading up to its opening. The last thing they need is negative publicity that will leave a stain on its marketing campaign, especially if it is the consumption of a product that is clearly in contradiction to their "Environmentality" positions. This is something we can use as leverage with influence the decision makers at Disney in urging them to drop shark fins from their menus. What we need is show that the word is getting out there and for them to think it is a big enough concern toact positively to it.

Please take a few minutes to write to the people below and appeal to them to remove shark fins from their menus:

Chief Executive Officer, Disney World, Mr. Michael Eisner: michael.eisner@disney.com

Group Managing Director HK Disneyland, Mr. Don Robinson: don.robinson@disney.com

Hong Kong Disneyland Vice-President of Marketing and Sales, Mr. Roy Hardy: roy.hardy@disney.com

Hong Kong Disneyland Corporate Communications, Ms Irene Chan: irene.chan@disney.com

Public Affairs Team: hkdl.mousemail@disney.com

Disney Corporate Communications, U.S.: TWDC.CorpCommunications@disney.com

Here are some soundbites on sharks you may wish to include in your email:

* Many shark species are threatened with extinction due to over-fishing.

* As of 2004, more than 250 shark species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (http://www.redlist.org/)

* Recent research shows precipitous declines in shark populations in the Northwest Atlantic. Since 1986 hammerheads have declined by 89%, thresher sharks by 80%, white sharks by 79% and tiger sharks by 65%. All recorded shark species, with one exception, have declined by more than 50% in the past 8 to 15 years.

* Demand for shark fin soup in Asia is the main contributing factor to the global decline in shark populations.

* Often, sharks are 'finned' and the rest of their bodies - often still alive - are dumped at sea.

* The cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning is an egregious waste of a global resource.

* Hong Kong is the world's largest trader in shark fins.

* Shark fin soup was once an expensive luxury for the privileged few in southern China, but now it is mass-produced and has become routine at weddings, banquets and business dinners for millions of people around the world.

* The world’s top marine scientists predict that the continued removal of sharks from their ecosystems will have dire consequences for other fish species that we humans rely on for food.

* Sharks are amongst the slowest growing species in the whole animal kingdom. Most species do not mature for many years, can have a gestation period of up to 22 months and produce only a handful to a few hundred pups at a time.

* Many peoples’ fear of sharks is so great that they are unwilling to consider the threat of extinction facing most shark species, or the catastrophic damage to the marine ecosystem that would result from their extinction. Sharks, as the top predator of the sea, are crucial to maintaining the balance of all life on the planet.

Disneyland weddings for the young and wealthy

Source: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Metro/GE18Ak03.html

Date: May 18, 2005
Reported by: Sylvia Hui (sylvia.hui@singtaonewscorp.com)

Hong Kong couples who want to live out their fantasies can do so at Hong Kong Disneyland - for a hefty price. Starting today, couples can book Chinese banquet-style wedding receptions with a Mickey Mouse touch at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel from HK$11,457 a table, Hong Kong Disneyland executives announced Tuesday. More than 1,000 inquiries, most coming from couples in the territory, have already been received. Those on the waiting list will have priority. "We are targeting Hong Kong couples mostly, but later we could consider bringing in couples from the mainland and Southeast Asia,'' said Roy Hardy, vice president of the theme park's marketing and sales. The hefty price tag comprises a food charge of HK$8,888 for a 12-person table, beverages and a 10 percent service charge, which is on a par with banquet rates at the luxury Peninsula Hotel and pricier when compared with other top hotels in the territory. The cheapest banquet packages at the Island Shangri-la Hotel, for example, come at HK$7,388 per table exclusive of beverages and service charge, while the Mandarin Oriental charges HK$6,688 for the same. The most expensive banquet package Disneyland offers is a steep HK$15,857 per table, inclusive of beverages, service charge and six tickets to the theme park. The menus feature traditional Chinese banquet delicacies such as roast suckling pig, shark's fin soup and sliced abalone. Other than the basics, packages come with multi-tiered wedding cakes, Disney-themed background music and a one night's stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Appearances by Mickey and friends are charged separately. "These packages are unique to Hong Kong because they blend Chinese and Western culture,'' said Don Robinson, Hong Kong Disneyland group managing director. He said the prices are competitive and are no different from price ranges at other Disney parks. Disneyland could not provide a minimum overall charge estimate for their wedding services nor when the first fairytale weddings could take place, only saying that its smallest function room can hold 10 tables and its biggest Cinderella ballroom can hold a maximum of 50 tables. "We cannot provide a minimum cost because we will customize the experience with individual couples,'' Hardy said. He said weddings cannot be held on September 12, the park's opening day, but services should be available on weekends and most weekdays. Responding to whether Disneyland would work with outside wedding planners in anticipation of amendments to the Marriage Ordinance, which will lift restrictions on the time and place for celebrating marriages, Robinson said the theme park would respond to the law changes. "The price is pretty expensive, on par with five-star hotels and close to rates at six-star hotels,'' said wedding planner Au Wai-fong. "But we've received quite a few inquiries, including some from the mainland and Korea.'' Isis Chan, who is planning for a wedding, said the packages are too pricey "No one has been there yet and it's hard to tell if it's worth the price.''.

Disney's "Environmentality" Page: http://corporate.disney.go.com/environmentality/environmental_policy.html