species Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

May 25, 2010 by Janey

May 21, 2010

From: Shella

foodtrip.blogspot.com

Hi Jane,

I initially wanted to comment on your latest post but I didn’t want to start a nasty thread of comments as pinoys are very emotional when it comes to these and it’s common that certain posts become very controversial when readers get into heated arguments. I wrote you an email as one foodie to another. As far as I know, stringrays are indeed endangered. However, after moving to Malaysia I somehow forgot about this because ikan pari (stringray) is everywhere. As you have mentioned you wanted to try it in Singapore. It’s a common dish in this side of Asia. I don’t even think it’s considered a delicacy. After reading your post I googled stingrays and found that wikianswers provide conflicting info one says 5 species, the other one says 50 species. But the point is, i am not guilty of eating stingray. It is one of those dishes that has made me enjoy Malaysian cuisine. I believe that they use/cook the prolific species of stingray and not the endangered ones. Why? Because they are too damn cheap to be endangered and it’s availability could equate that of chicken or beef so I don’t think the ones being sold and cooked here are endangered. The big question is where does Nasi Lemak gets its supply and what species do they use. I just hope that the information/e-mail of your other reader will not deter you from trying this fish especially in MY or SG. That’s all. Happy eats.

Shella

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I received an email from another reader. I’m posting this on the site with her permission to give everyone else the other side of the coin. This is for readers’ further information. Readers, the decision have always been yours. Like my decisions have always been mine 😉

You guys can do your further research and decide for yourselves.

I haven’t really found the time to do my own research about stingrays. But I did ask myself this question: Singapore –the country of rules and fines allows restaurants to serve endangered stingrays? *scratches head*

Maybe, maybe not. For some people, anything that can help helps. I get that from the point of Lav as well.

Thanks Shella for your email! I appreciate your information as I take another look at the matter.

Happy Eats!

Janey

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Dear Jane: Stingray –Please NO!

May 21, 2010 by Janey

A Reader’s Email

March 20, 2010

Excitingly Spiced at Nasi Lemak

Hi Jane,

I hope this note finds you well.

Ever since I read your post on Nasi Lemak, I’ve been quite bothered that I finally decided to drop you a message cause I thought I should get it out of my head and chest already. I’ve been deeply saddened to know that the restaurant serves stingray. A lot of their species (as well as manta rays) are already endangered and I do believe that its actually illegal to catch and sell such.

Nasi Lemak may say that the kind of Stingray in their menu is not endangered and therefore not illegal, but I still think that at the end of the day, that is beside the point and we all have to choose our side of the fence. And, fact is, if there are less people who patronize stingrays, manta rays, bird’s nest soup, shark squalene, and the likes, then there would be less people who will gather them.

I have no intention of imposing my belief on you, I just thought I’d share with you my thoughts on this.

Thank you very much for your time and more power to Between Bites!

Sincerely yours,

Lav,

an avid reader and fan

-End-

Hi Lav,

Thanks for your email and for visiting the site often.

I really appreciate that you sent an email my way to let me know how the Nasi Lemak entry that included a stingray dish bothered you. I apologize for that.

Forgive my ignorance, I didn’t know that kind of seafood is already near extinction. Bubba watched on Nat Geo channel how fishermen catch shark fins and has decided to knowingly stop ordering them. I think this is the first time though that I’ve heard stingrays are endangered.

No imposition at all, your point is well taken. I’m quite a big eater but I know when to draw the line.

Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I’m posting this on my site for others’ information but I think my readers are more well read and more well informed than I am.

Such is in this case.

A Lesson Learned,

Jane

Photo grabbed from this site

Please SAVE endangered stingrays and manta rays.

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