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 ur campaign to protect one of the ocean's most important -- and threatened -- species achieved a landmark victory last fall when California became the largest state to outlaw the sale, trade or possession of shark fins. An estimated 73 million sharks worldwide are slaughtered for their fins each year. "Scientists warn that 30 percent of sharks in our open oceans are threatened with extinction and that some populations have declined by 90 percent," says Ann Notthoff, NRDC's director of California advocacy. "We applaud Governor Brown and California legislators for listening to NRDC and our coalition of aquarium scientists, chefs, environmental groups and Asian-American leaders and for acting to put an end to the brutal practice of shark finning." In signing the bill, the governor spoke to the importance of sharks to healthy ocean ecosystems.
Shark finning is exceedingly cruel: The fins are hacked off, typically while the shark is still alive, and then the animal is thrown overboard. Unable to swim, it sinks to the ocean floor, either to bleed to death or to be eaten by other animals. The trade is fueled by a global appetite for shark-fin soup, a traditional Asian delicacy. Yet the demand for this single dish is threatening to clear the world's oceans of one of their most vital apex predators. Scientists predict that the loss of sharks could spell disaster for an untold number of other marine species as well.
"California's ban is particularly crucial," says Notthoff. "Until now, Los Angeles and San Diego have been two of the top entry ports in the U.S. for shark fin imports." Hawaii, Washington and Oregon have already imposed bans on shark fins. California's action effectively closes the West Coast to this violent and ecologically destructive trade.
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“We applaud Governor Brown and California legislators for listening to NRDC and our coalition of aquarium scientists, chefs, environmental groups and Asian-American leaders and for acting to put an end to the brutal practice of shark finning.”
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