BAN THE SALE OF SHARK FINS AND PRODUCTS
- by: DORSAL FRIENDS
- recipient: LOS ANGELES COUNTY
The practice of finning has been illegal in the U.S. since 2002, but the importation and sale of the fins is still legal. "Finning", defined as removing the fins from a shark and discarding the remainder of the shark at sea, has developed to keep up with the demand of shark fin soup. It is a brutal, wasteful, and criminal practice that takes place across the world's oceans.
By allowing the sale of shark fins locally, we are inadvertently supporting shark finning, an industry that is already responsible for the demise of some species by 80 - 90%, and wastes up to 98% of the animal. Sharks are a critical component of the ocean's sensitive food webs and they are essential in keeping a balanced and healthy marine ecosystem.
By allowing the sale of shark fins locally, we are inadvertently supporting shark finning, an industry that is already responsible for the demise of some species by 80 - 90%, and wastes up to 98% of the animal. Sharks are a critical component of the ocean's sensitive food webs and they are essential in keeping a balanced and healthy marine ecosystem.
We, the undersigned, endorse the following petition to BAN THE SALE OF SHARK FINS AND SHARK FIN PRODUCTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
In 2002, the U.S. enacted a ban on shark finning which prohibits any person, under U.S. jurisdiction, from engaging in shark finning or possessing shark fins, harvested on board a U.S. fishing vessel, without the corresponding carcasses. As a conservation leader internationally, the United States was a key player in developing the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) International Plan Of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks. The unsustainable fishing practice of "finning", defined as removing the fins from a shark and discarding the remainder of the shark at sea, has developed to keep up with the demand of shark fin soup. Finning results in wasting approximately 95-98% of the animal. This practice is wasteful, inhumane, and in direct contradiction of FAO recommendations.
The consumption of shark is a known health risk and tests have found extremely high levels of methyl mercury in shark fins along with other poisonous metals, pollutants, and harmful toxins like the carcinogen formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide, which may be used as bleaching or finishing agents. The U.S Food & Drug Administration and the EPA has issued warnings against the consumption of long living predatory fish including shark for pregnant and nursing women as well as young children.
Along with the high levels of toxins, it has also been cited that dried shark fins have been known to contain "insect, rodent, and/or other animal filth". Most of the industry's processing of shark fins takes place in Asia, and until better methods of processing, testing, and branding are established, consumers are subject to ingesting contaminated food.
It's estimated that more than 100 million sharks are killed by humans each year and as many as 73 million are slaughtered for their fins alone. Sharks, unlike other fish, reproduce as few as two pups every two years, and they may take 20 years or more to reach sexual maturity, making their populations devastatingly vulnerable to over fishing. Some species have decimated by 80 % - 90% and many are listed on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their recovery from exploitation will be very slow and difficult.
As top predators of the planet for over 400 million years, sharks play an essential role in sustaining the balance of our marine ecosystem. The ocean is the life support system of the planet, and seafood is the main source of protein for one billion people.
The practice of finning is inhumane, wasteful, and above all illegal in the U.S. It threatens shark stocks, the stability of marine ecosystems, and the food security of developing nations. Currently, the means in which shark fins sold in Los Angeles County are obtained cannot be determined. By allowing the sale of shark fins, we are inadvertently supporting the finning industry and are contributing to the demise of shark populations.
We strongly encourage you to ban the sale of all shark fin products, and help safeguard the survival of sharks.
References
AFS (American Fisheries Society)
AFS Policy Statement #31b: Management of Sharks and Their Relatives (www.fisheries.org/afs/docs/policy_31bf.pdf)
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries Fact Sheet
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sharks/FS_management.htm
THE U.S FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1666.html
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1602.html
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
http://www.iucnredlist.org
IUCN Information Paper %u201CShark Finning%u201D June 2003-www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/organizations/ssg/iucnsharkfinningfinal.pdf
%u201CSharks At Risk%u201D by Peter Knights- DEFENDERS Magazine, winter 2002/03
US Government 2004. %u201CWhat You Need To Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish%u201D. Department of Health and Human Services and US Environmental Protection Agency bulletin EPA-823-R-04-005 March 2004
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html
10 pc of Dried Seafood Toxic. The Hong Kong Standard Newspaper, February 2004
http://accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/comsite5.pl
Sign PetitionSign PetitionIn 2002, the U.S. enacted a ban on shark finning which prohibits any person, under U.S. jurisdiction, from engaging in shark finning or possessing shark fins, harvested on board a U.S. fishing vessel, without the corresponding carcasses. As a conservation leader internationally, the United States was a key player in developing the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) International Plan Of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks. The unsustainable fishing practice of "finning", defined as removing the fins from a shark and discarding the remainder of the shark at sea, has developed to keep up with the demand of shark fin soup. Finning results in wasting approximately 95-98% of the animal. This practice is wasteful, inhumane, and in direct contradiction of FAO recommendations.
The consumption of shark is a known health risk and tests have found extremely high levels of methyl mercury in shark fins along with other poisonous metals, pollutants, and harmful toxins like the carcinogen formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide, which may be used as bleaching or finishing agents. The U.S Food & Drug Administration and the EPA has issued warnings against the consumption of long living predatory fish including shark for pregnant and nursing women as well as young children.
Along with the high levels of toxins, it has also been cited that dried shark fins have been known to contain "insect, rodent, and/or other animal filth". Most of the industry's processing of shark fins takes place in Asia, and until better methods of processing, testing, and branding are established, consumers are subject to ingesting contaminated food.
It's estimated that more than 100 million sharks are killed by humans each year and as many as 73 million are slaughtered for their fins alone. Sharks, unlike other fish, reproduce as few as two pups every two years, and they may take 20 years or more to reach sexual maturity, making their populations devastatingly vulnerable to over fishing. Some species have decimated by 80 % - 90% and many are listed on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their recovery from exploitation will be very slow and difficult.
As top predators of the planet for over 400 million years, sharks play an essential role in sustaining the balance of our marine ecosystem. The ocean is the life support system of the planet, and seafood is the main source of protein for one billion people.
The practice of finning is inhumane, wasteful, and above all illegal in the U.S. It threatens shark stocks, the stability of marine ecosystems, and the food security of developing nations. Currently, the means in which shark fins sold in Los Angeles County are obtained cannot be determined. By allowing the sale of shark fins, we are inadvertently supporting the finning industry and are contributing to the demise of shark populations.
We strongly encourage you to ban the sale of all shark fin products, and help safeguard the survival of sharks.
References
AFS (American Fisheries Society)
AFS Policy Statement #31b: Management of Sharks and Their Relatives (www.fisheries.org/afs/docs/policy_31bf.pdf)
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries Fact Sheet
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sharks/FS_management.htm
THE U.S FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1666.html
http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1602.html
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
http://www.iucnredlist.org
IUCN Information Paper %u201CShark Finning%u201D June 2003-www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/organizations/ssg/iucnsharkfinningfinal.pdf
%u201CSharks At Risk%u201D by Peter Knights- DEFENDERS Magazine, winter 2002/03
US Government 2004. %u201CWhat You Need To Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish%u201D. Department of Health and Human Services and US Environmental Protection Agency bulletin EPA-823-R-04-005 March 2004
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html
10 pc of Dried Seafood Toxic. The Hong Kong Standard Newspaper, February 2004
http://accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/comsite5.pl
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