Thanks to a groundswell of last-minute support from a grassroots effort by numerous conservation groups and organizations, the shark finning industry in the United States suffered a serious legislative defeat.
The Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, H.R. 737, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in a 310 to 107 vote late Wednesday night. The bill would end all commercial trade in the United States, including all imports, exports, trade, distribution and possession for commercial purposes of shark fins and products containing shark fins. The proposed legislation had been in danger of being shelved for a second consecutive year if the bill had not been brought up for a final vote before the end of this year’s House session.
The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Reps. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, D-Northern Mariana Islands, and Michael McCaul, R-Texas and included 288 cosponsors in the House.
“Our legislation is an effective, no-cost way to remove the United States from the harmful shark fin trade that contributes to the loss of up to 73 million sharks each year,” McCaul said.
The act of shark finning and possession of shark fins aboard a vessel is currently prohibited in U.S. waters under the 2010 Shark Conservation Act, but the current law does not stop the domestic trade in their parts. In the U.S., shark fins derived from cruel fishing practices around the world are sold here.
“By passing such a bill, our nation can reassert its standing as a global leader on the important issue of shark conservation,” Humane Society Legislative Fund president Sara Amundson said. “When the U.S. leads on such efforts, other countries follow, as occurred with the ivory trade.”
The bill now moves to the Senate, where a companion bill, S. 877, awaits a final vote to turn the legislation into law. California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington had already passed legislation at the state level. The new proposed legislation would put those protections in place at a national level.
“Time is running out for sharks,” Amundson said. “These iconic predators are important in marine ecosystems and serve as key indicators of ocean health. Declining shark numbers can cause irreversible damage to fragile ocean environments and, ultimately, to our earth. By taking decisive action now, Congress — and our nation — can reverse the tide for this keystone species, and for the ecosystems that depend on them.”
According to Human Society International, Sharks are now being killed 30 percent faster than they can reproduce. It is estimated that between 2000 and 2011, 16,815 metric tons of shark fins were traded worldwide. This commerce is unsustainable, and some shark populations have declined by as much as 90% in recent decades, resulting in a crisis not only for sharks themselves but for the balance of ocean ecosystems.
“Sharks have existed for hundreds of millions of years on this planet, and yet these remarkable apex predators now face one of the biggest threats to their survival because of the demand for their fins,” Animal Welfare Institute president Cathy Liss said. “More than a quarter of shark species and their relatives are at risk of extinction. Passing legislation to clamp down on the global shark fin trade is essential if we are going to protect sharks and maintain functioning marine ecosystems. We are grateful to Representatives Sablan and McCaul for their steadfast leadership and urge the Senate to quickly pass the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act so that it can be signed into law.”