China to ban shark fin soup.

China plans to ban shark fin soup was served at a formal banquet,

According to Chinese media, the authorities say it may take up to three years until the ban is effective and will help reduce the cost of official banquets.

The move follows a proposal submitted to the National People's Congress in March.

According to Bertha Shark Lo of Hong Kong Foundation, a step that could potentially reduce the number of sharks killed, given that China is the largest consumer of shark fin products.

"I think (the ban) would be impacted," said Lo. "In China, the government is in power. If the government becomes a leader on this issue, in my opinion, why the others did not follow it."

Between 26 million to 73 million sharks are killed each year, according to academic studies in 2006, as quoted from the website Lo organization. Once the fins taken, the rest of the shark's body is usually thrown away.

Meanwhile, the World Wildlife Fun said the current 181 shark species threatened with extinction, up from 15 in 1996.

Shark fin soup became one of the favorites among Chinese communities worldwide. This dish is usually served at weddings to signify the importance of the show and to impress the guests.

However, the habit became less popular among the younger generation of eco-conscious, says Lo.

Last year, the manager of a luxury hotel chain said it would remove shark fin from the menu menu. Shangri-La Hotel Network also did a similar move this year.

In Beijing, a five star hotel Swissotel also no longer serve shark fin, the China Daily said.

Outside China, legislation to ban shark fin has also been deployed in five states in the United States.

In China, the campaign against shark fin products also began to receive support and a following among celebrities. One was former NBA star, Yao Ming, who said he would not eat the food.