Shangri-La is the first hotel group in China committed to sourcing sustainable seafood, which may encourage others to follow in the long run, according to Howes.

"The move is good for the fishermen whose livelihoods depend on fisheries, the environment and everyone who loves eating seafood."

Founded in 1971, Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently manages more than 100 hotels in 22 countries and regions.

In 2010, it was the first hotel to remove shark fin from its menus. In 2014, its Rooted in Nature sustainable culinary initiative was launched to provide ethically and responsibly sourced food items. In 2017, 19.2 percent of seafood purchased by the hotel was sustainable, up 5.97 percentage points year-on-year, according to the hotel.