Shark Conservation
Published: July 25, 2017
Shark Finning Legislation
Shark finning is a process of removing shark fins at sea and discarding the rest of the shark and has been prohibited by federal law since 2000 when the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000 prohibited engaging in the finning of sharks and possessing shark fins in certain cases, and required NOAA to provide Congress with annual reports on implementation of the Act.
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114 Stat. 2772 - Shark Finning Prohibition Act, December 21, 2000 |
"Every year, it is estimated fins from as many as 70 million sharks end up in the global shark fin trade. Shark finning is pushing some species of sharks to the brink of extinction. With this bipartisan measure, America can become a global leader by shutting down the domestic market for shark fins."
The Shark Conservation Act of 2010 strengthened shark finning prohibitions.
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124 Stat. 3668 - International Fisheries Agreement Clarification Act, January 4, 2011 |
On March 9, 2017, U.S. Representatives Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan introduced the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act to make the possession, sale, and purchase of shark fins illegal acts in the U.S. The Senate version of the bill was introduced on March 30, 2017, sponsored by Senator Cory Booker.
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H.R. 1456 (IH) - Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2017, March 9, 2017 |
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S. 793 (IS) - Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act of 2017, March 30, 2017 |
"The bipartisan Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act is needed to eradicate shark finning for good."
Rules to Implement Shark Conservation Act Provisions
Final rule addressing shark conservation in areas beyond national jurisdiction:
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78 FR 3338 - High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act; Identification and Certification Procedures To Address Shark Conservation, January 16, 2013 |
Final rule that addresses the provision contained in the Shark Conservation Act that allows at-sea fin removal of Atlantic smooth dogfish, includes the establishment of smoothhound shark annual commercial quotas, and implements shark gillnet requirements:
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80 FR 73128 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Smoothhound Shark and Atlantic Shark Management Measures, March 15, 2016 |
Final rule implementing the domestic provisions of the Shark Conservation Act:
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81 FR 42285 - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Implementation of the Shark Conservation Act of 2010, July 29, 2016 |