The sale of shark fins such at those at Chung Chou City in San Francisco in August is prohibited by a bill just passed by California's legislature. It will become law when the govenor signs it. (Photo by LiPo Ching of San Jose Mercury News)
From WildAid comes good news for sharks:
The California Senate passed Assembly Bill 376 on Tuesday, Sept. 6, by a 25-9 vote. The bill, which previously passed the state Assembly on a 60-8 vote, effectively prohibits the sale, trade and possession of shark fins within the state. Given his strong environmental record, Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to sign the bill into law as soon as next week.
California is said to be the largest source of demand for shark fins outside Asia, so the bill represents a major step toward reducing pressure on shark populations. Once signed into law, California will follow Hawaii, Washington and Oregon, where similar legislation has previously passed.
The bill has been championed by a coalition that included WildAid, Oceana, the Humane Society of the United States, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and backed by community leaders and Hollywood heavyweights.
Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid, testified several times before the state legislature, as did actress Bo Derek, an advocate and WildAid board member.
Fins from as many as 73 million sharks a year are used to make shark fin soup, a vastly popular Asian delicacy. Captured at sea and hauled on deck, the sharks are often still alive while their fins are sliced off. Because shark meat is not considered as valuable as shark fin, the maimed animals are tossed overboard to drown or bleed to death. The process is called shark finning, a wasteful and cruel practice still legal in much of the world.
