Good news! On April 22, 2021, Representatives Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D- MP) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) reintroduced the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. A previous version of this bill passed the House of Representatives in November of 2019 with a 310-107 majority. Unfortunately, the companion bill, introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Shelly […]
Tag: shark fin soup
The Terrifying Truth: Our Future is Tied to the Future of Sharks
Mention the word “shark” to most people, and they will most likely think of a cruel, bloodthirsty monster along the lines of those portrayed in “Jaws” or the “Sharknado” series. When the word “shark” is used to describe a human, it carries negative connotations of deceitfulness and cunning. We seem to have developed an idea […]
Petition: Reintroduce Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act
Most people, even animal lovers, are pretty scared of sharks. Most depictions and coverage of sharks suggests that they are violent, dangerous creatures. However, sharks actually have reason to be way more afraid of humans. A significantly greater number of sharks are killed by humans every year than humans killed by sharks (I’m talking hundreds […]
Efforts to tackle shark fin trade need to focus closer to shore, study says
A hunger for shark fin soup — a brothy, gelatinous dish that’s considered a delicacy in East Asia — is responsible for the deaths of about 73 million sharks each year. It was previously believed that many of these sharks were being caught in international waters, beyond the authority of any individual country, but a […]
Shark fin trafficking ring busted as trade ban comes into effect in Florida
U.S. authorities say they’ve broken up a conspiracy to traffic shark fins in and out of Florida by a company based in California, where their sale and export is banned by law. In an indictment released Sept. 4 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, prosecutors allege that 12 people took […]
Authorities seize record 26 tons of illegal shark fins in Hong Kong
Customs officials in Hong Kong have seized 26 tons of shark fins from an estimated 38,500 sharks classified as vulnerable and protected species — the biggest shipment ever to be intercepted in the region, according to a press release published May 6. This is more than double the amount of all fins seized in 31 […]
Petition: Ask Congress to Pass the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act!
The survival of sharks is threatened, but they are vital to many ecosystems. Not only do they keep marine ecosystems in check, but they also keep the carbon cycle in motion. One of their biggest threats is the shark fin trade. It’s a terribly cruel practice done to use the fins in shark fin soup, […]
Canada becomes first G7 country to ban shark fin imports
It was on a family visit to Hong Kong that Kristyn Wong-Tam noticed her uncle – a well-regarded chef – was the only person at the table not touching a bowl of shark fin soup. When he explained how fins are hacked from struggling sharks, before their bodies are tossed back into the water, the […]