Oregon State Police say Agnes Yu sold dried shark fin at Wing Ming Herbs. (Photo: Oregon State Police)
PORTLAND, Ore. — A Happy Valley woman pleaded guilty to illegal selling shark fin at a Portland Market back in 2018.
On June 4, 52-year-old Agnes Yu pleaded guilty to one count of possessing, selling, or trading shark fin, after selling dried shark fin through Wing Ming Herbs, a specialty food store in southeast Portland that she and her husband own.
In 2011, Oregon lawmakers passed a law prohibiting people from possessing and selling shark fins.
Investigators said an anonymous source had approached Oregon State Fish and Wildlife Troopers and said they had heard Wing Ming Herbs was selling shark fin.null
That person became an undercover informant for investigators.
On January 23, 2018, the informant was able to record the purchase of six packages of dried, processed shark fin from Yu.
Yu was not cited for the offense until September of 2019 due to a separate investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Shark fin is a delicacy in some cultures and broth made with the fin is traditional fare for weddings and other occasions. Large single fins are most prized, with trimmings from those fins creating a lesser product.
DNA testing of the dried fins from Wing Ming Herbs returned trimmings from five shark species: Blue shark, black-nose shark, Caribbean sharp-nosed shark, small tail shark and small eye hammerhead shark.
Yu was sentenced to 12 months bench probation, $1,000 in fines and $360 in restitutions for the Class A Misdemeanor.
