Hong Kong University vice-chancellor Tsui Lap-chee last month banned the dish -- usually served as a soup -- within the campus and at official university functions off-campus.

The move was sparked by increased pressure from conservationists who say the hunting of sharks for their fins has led to a dangerous drop in their populations.

In an open-letter to Tsui, read during a rowdy campus gathering, seafood merchants and shark's fin traders condemned the ban as a "smear" tactic aimed at spreading lies about the industry.

"You have contributed to the smear campaign instigated by these 'conservationists', which has led to the livelihood of many people involved (in the trade) being adversely affected," the letter, read to the gathering organised by the traders, said.

"We call on you to do the responsible thing by investigating the facts, apologising to all affected and rescinding the ban," it said.

The letter was signed by the Sharkfin and Marine Products Association, Shark Fin Trade Merchants Association and the Hong Kong Dried Sea Food and Grocery Merchants Association.

Shark's fin is considered a delicacy by Chinese and is hugely popular in Hong Kong and southern China.

But environmentalists say shark's fins are harvested inhumanely by fishermen who hack off the appendage and toss the bodies back into the sea to die.

Hong Kong Disneyland was forced to pull shark's fin soup from its menu in June following an outcry.

The letter said conservationists had spread lies about the industry, claiming that shark fishermen did not practice so-called finning and asserting that sharks are not endangered animals.

"Please do not believe all that you hear from the so-called conservationists," it said.

"Many of them have raised money from the West for the purpose of stopping the consumption of shark's fin and are bent on attacking this whilst ignoring the facts," it said.

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