Over 73 million sharks are killed each year by finning, a process that involves cutting off the shark’s fins, often while it is still alive, and throwing the shark back overboard where it can sink to the ocean floor and eventually die.  Many shark populations have collapsed worldwide due to overfishing, with some populations declining as much as 90-99%.

This week bill AB 376, introduced by California Assembly members Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) to ensure that California ceases to be both a major supplier and consumer of shark fins through a ban on the possession, sale, trade and distribution of fins, moves to the assembly floor for a vote that will determine the fate of these magnificent ocean dwellers in California’s waters.

Since sharks are slow to reach sexual maturity and produce few offspring, scientists warn that shark populations cannot withstand current harvest rates. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has estimated that 30 percent of open ocean sharks are now threatened with extinction.  There are current CA state and federal laws banning shark finning but they do not address the issue of shark fin trade.

Fortunately for sharks around the world there is a growing awareness of the repercussions our oceans will face if this top line predator is wiped out and other states and countries, like Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Guam, Chile and others are acting to stop this brutal practice as well.

How can you help?

Let your California representative know that you want to protect sharks.  Sign our petition here and it will be delivered to your representative.

To listen to Defenders of Wildlife’s Marine Program Associate, Jim Curland, talk about this issue on Public News Service listen here.

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