Obama administration sides with opponents of shark fin ban

Trays filled with shark fins are displayed at a store in Chinatown on August 24, 2011 in San Francisco, California. California State Assembly Bill 376 has been introduced and would ban the sale, purchase or possession of shark fins in California. Those against the bill complain that it targets a cultural institution of Chinese citizens who eat shark fin soup.

Aeveral Chinese-American businesses and suppliers of shark fins have asked a federal appeals court to overturn the ban. Their cause got a boost from the Obama administration, which states the state law interferes with commercial shark fishing.

Here in California, a controversy is stirring — yet again — around shark fin soup.

A ban on the sale of the soup went into effect in California last month, but several Chinese-American businesses and suppliers of shark fins are protesting, citing ethnic discrimination.

They've asked a federal appeals court to overturn the ban, and this week, their cause got a boost from the Obama administration, which states the state law interferes with commercial shark fishing.

With more on this is food writer Francis Lam.