Sharks in pop culture movies like Jaws and Sharknado constantly tells people that sharks are dangerous animals that like to make humans a tasty snack. So why has legislation made the effort to save the sharks? Believe it or not, this predatory animal has become endangered as a result of humanity’s damaging practices.
In U.S. waters, fishermen cannot practice shark finning or possess shark fins aboard a vessel thanks to the 2010 Shark Conversion Act. What is shark finning? Usually, it is an act where people in the fishing industry cut the fins of sharks off after they catch them. They often release the sharks back into the ocean without its fin. The Shark Conversion Act is an effort to eliminate a practice that poses harm to the shark itself and the shark population as a whole. But, what it doesn’t do is stop fishermen from trading shark fins in locations that have little to no ban on shark finning. According to the Animal Welfare Institute, “this allowed fishermen to flout the law by mixing and matching bodies and fins from various sharks, making enforcement very difficult. Therefore, the U.S still plays its role in this unsustainable global market”.
Shark fin soup is on the menu in many countries in Asia as well as areas in large cities or “Chinatowns”. Shark fins are even used in pet food in some cases! Other parts of the shark are harvested and used in cosmetic products like sunscreen, lipstick and lotion. These products are a large reason why the trade is so lucrative and why this animal is so valued for its parts.
Courtesy: Marcelo Cidrack
Support for the increased protection of sharks has now resulted in an important bill against animal cruelty making it through Congress. This week, our U.S. House of Representatives passed the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act. It makes the import, possession, trade and distribution of shark fins illegal and aims to put an end to the business. It also aims to curb the decline of the shark species and reduce the global demand for shark fins.
Representative Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan added, “The bill 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. A dozen states and three territories already have a ban in their laws. Shark fin bans are also supported by numerous airlines and shipping companies, major corporations and hundreds of U.S. businesses and organizations.”
With 288 cosponsors, this bill has been this Congress’ most cosponsored bipartisan ocean conservation bill according to Oceana. This nationwide ban will ensure that the U.S is no longer driving the unsustainable killings of sharks around the world. Next, the bill will move on to the senate and then finally (if all goes swimmingly) it will land on the president’s desk to fully become a law.
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