Ocean Sentry
(From guampdn.com)- The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International yesterday applauded Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo for introducing legislation that would close a loophole on shark finning. Bordallo introduced the Shark Conservation Act, H.R. 81, which would provide increased protection for vulnerable shark species from “finning” and overfishing.
“Each year, tens of millions of sharks worldwide have their fins cruelly cut off at sea and are then thrown back overboard to die a lingering, painful death,” according to Patricia Forkan, president of Humane Society International, in a written statement. “Shark finning threatens the survival of essential marine species, and we commend Congresswoman Bordallo for addressing this cruel and wasteful practice.”
Although shark finning was banned in the U.S. by the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000, enforcement is complex and a major loophole allows circumvention of the law, according to The Humane Society.
Last summer, the U.S. Department of Commerce implemented regulations in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico requiring that sharks be landed with fins attached to their bodies, to prevent shark finning.
However, the Pacific Ocean has no comparable regulation, leaving these expansive waters wide open to abuse, the Society states.
Last year, the previous version of the Shark Conservation Act, H.R. 5741, passed the House in the 110th Congress, but didn’t advance in the Senate before the session was adjourned. The new legislation contains the same language closing a loophole that currently permits a vessel to transport fins that were obtained illegally as long as the sharks were not finned aboard that vessel.
The act also requires that all sharks be landed with their fins attached to their bodies, creating an enforcement mandate applicable in both oceans, according to the Society.
Sign : Protect Sharks from Finning
