Agence France Presse

Singapore, May 28

A Singapore couple on Tuesday took their wedding vows in an underwater tank teeming with sharks to raise public awareness of the threatened extinction of the species.

Lester Kwok and Juliana Khoo were married in the Underwater World aquarium at the Sentosa Island tourist park.

The couple, both certified divers, said it was the start of their plans to raise awareness of the threats facing sharks from over-fishing.

"We have actually been toying with this idea for quite awhile. We are now planning for other possible events that can help to promote shark conservation," Kwok said after the ceremony was over.

"As avid divers who have swum with sharks in the wild, we feel an obligation to educate shark fin consumers about the threats these animals face and encourage wedding planners to help sharks by not serving shark fin soup."

Shark fin soup is a popular dish served at Chinese weddings.

Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China are the biggest consumers of shark fins in the world, according to non-profit environmental group WildAid.