Shark Coalition

By Bettina Wassener

Originally published by The New York Times on 7/21/10

Citibank has gotten itself into a stew over fish soup — specifically, shark’s fin soup.

The soup is considered a delicacy and, because of its priciness, a status symbol in many parts of Asia. But environmentalists have criticized consumption, saying that soaring demand for the fins, mainly from China, has caused a sharp decline in shark populations over the last two decades.

(Read full article here)

Hawaii ban on shark fin trade sets precedent

By Iris Ho

Originally posted on the Humane Society of the United States website on 7/9/10

Sharks have been around for 400 million years; however, today they are being wiped out at an astonishing rate. Some species are facing extinction. The global threats to sharks are numerous, but one of the principal causes of their decline is the aggressive hunt for their fins for use in shark fin soup.

One U.S. state recently responded to this unprecedented crisis with an unprecedented measure: As of July 1, 2010, it is illegal to possess, sell, or distribute shark fins in Hawaii. While most efforts to deal with the devastating effects of the global fin trade have focused on promoting a “fins-naturally-attached” policy (mandating that sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached to their bodies), this newly-enacted law is the first in the world to ban all shark fin products, including shark fin soup.

(Read full article here)

Originally posted on the “Animals and Politics: Humane Society Legislative Fund” page on 7/8/10 

Christina Wilkie of The Hill reported yesterday that Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is teaming up with the Discovery Channel during the hugely popular “Shark Week” in August to promote legislation cracking down on cruel and wasteful shark finning. There has been good news and bad news for sharks in recent months, and the renewed push for shark conservation could not come at a more critical time for these declining ocean predators.

A new Hawaii law took effect last week making the state the first to ban the sale and possession of shark fins, helping to dry up the demand for fins and remove the financial incentive for killing these creatures at sea. We are grateful to state Sen. Clayton Hee (D-Kahuku, La’ie, Ka’a'awa, Kane’ohe) for championing the pathbreaking bill, and to Gov. Linda Lingle (R) for signing it into law. Hawaiians revere this sacred animal, also known as “manō,” a protector of the oceans and Hawaii’s fisherman, and now they’ve set a standard for other states to follow.

(Read full article here)

By Bettina Wassener

Originally published by The New York Times on 6/20/10

HONG KONG — When Christine and Constant Tang, both avid scuba divers, got married in 2003, they did something unusual: They did not serve shark’s fin soup at their wedding reception in Hong Kong.

“The waiter who took our banquet order gave us a pretty strange look, and my father-in-law had to explain in his welcoming speech that we felt strongly about being environmental, and that we were not just being cheap,” Mrs. Tang said.

This may sound a bit strange and arcane to anyone unfamiliar with Chinese culture. Unluckily for sharks, the soup brewed from their fins is considered a must-have at Chinese wedding banquets and corporate dinners. For the Chinese, the delicacy is a matter of wealth, pride and prestige.

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By Charles Q. Choi

Originally posted at the Christian Science Monitor website  on 6/21/10

Shark attacks may make headlines, but it’s the human attacks on sharks that are having a far greater impact on our oceans’ ecosystems

As dangerous as sharks may have seemed to people after watching “Jaws,” which was released on June 20, 1975, the recent disastrous plunge in their numbers reveal that people have proven far more dangerous to sharks.

In the waters off the U.S. eastern seaboard, populations of many species of sharks have dropped by 50 percent and some have fallen by as much as 90 percent, said George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research in Gainesville. Overall, nearly a third of all sharks and rays worldwide may be threatened with extinction.

(Read full article)

Originally posted at http://thestory.org/ on 6/16/10

With the devastation in the Gulf of Mexico, the country’s attention has now turned to the health of wildlife in our oceans. That’s a concern that Randall Arauz knows well. Randall is a marine biologist in Costa Rica who has been working for years to protect sea turtles there. One day he saw a video documenting “shark finning.” Fishermen haul in sharks, cut off the fins, and dump the bodies of the sharks back into the ocean. Chefs in Asia use the fins to make an expensive delicacy - shark fin soup. Experts say the world population of sharks has been cut by as much as 90 percent because of this practice. Randall just won an environmental prize for his work.

Listen to the podcast of the story.

Learn more about Randall Arauz’s organization and the Goldman Environmental Prize.

Groups Praise Hawaii Lawmakers for Enacting Groundbreaking Shark Protection Measure

HONOLULU (May 29, 2010) — The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International and Shark Allies praised Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle and other lawmakers for passing  a law to protect sharks from being killed to supply the market for shark fins. Gov. Lingle signed S.B. 2169 yesterday.

The law prohibits the sale, possession or distribution of shark fins and fin products, including shark fin soup, and closes major enforcement loopholes in existing law. Shark-finning involves cutting off the fins of sharks then throwing the shark back into the ocean, often while still alive, only to drown, starve or die a slow death due to predation from other species. Numerous species of shark are threatened or endangered, with some species on the brink of extinction due to the cruel and exploitive shark fin industry.  

S.B. 2169 was championed by Sen. Clayton Hee, D-Kahuku, La’ie, Ka’a'awa, Kane’ohe, and Rep. Angus McKelvey, D-Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua, Maalaea, Kihei. In addition to sharks’ critical role in preserving our ocean ecosystems, Sen. Hee and the native Hawaiian community emphasized that sharks are considered Hawaiian deities, also known as “aumakua”, protectors of the oceans. The bill takes effect on July 1 of this year. The prohibition on the retail sale of shark fin soup and fin products takes effect on July 1, 2011.

“Thanks to the tremendous efforts of Senator Hee, Representative McKelvey and thousands of supporters both locally and worldwide, Hawaii has become the nation’s leader in shark and ocean protection by enacting this unprecedented measure,” said Inga Gibson, Hawaii state director for The HSUS.

“With the passage of this bill, Hawaii has set an example for the rest of the country, if not the world, to follow,” said Stefanie Brendl,  founder and director of Hawaii-based Shark Allies. ”Other states are already looking to emulate Hawaii’s law in the coming years.”

Facts:

• Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year simply to supply the wasteful demand for shark fin soup. Shark populations cannot sustain current slaughter rates.

• Sharks are apex predators whose survival affects all other marine species and the entire ocean’s ecosystem.

• Unlike other fish species, sharks produce few pups, and thus, many species are endangered and/or threatened due to the fin trade.

• The U.S. Congress is currently considering the Shark Conservation Act, which would crack down on the lucrative and abusive practice of shark-finning and close critical loopholes in the federal law to improve enforcement, such as requiring boats to land sharks with their fins still attached.

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Government Writer

Originally published by the Honolulu Advertiser on 4/21/10

State House and Senate negotiators agreed yesterday to prohibit the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins, a victory for Native Hawaiians, who see the shark as a cultural deity, and for animal rights activists who believe shark finning is a cruel practice that threatens the ocean’s ecosystem.

(Read full article)

Costa Rican marine biologist Randall Arauz, founding member of the Shark Coalition, was presented with the prestigious Goldman Prize for his work to stop the atrocious practice of shark finning in a ceremony held in San Francisco, CA, on Monday, April 19. 

Goldman Prize laureate Randall Arauz addresses a crowd during a public demonstration against shark finning at the Constitutional Court in San Jose, Costa Rica. Photo Credit: HSI

Arauz was joined by 5 other recipients in accepting the award, widely considered to be the “Nobel Prize” of environmental activism.  

In 1997, Arauz founded the Association for the Restoration of Sea Turtles (PRETOMA), a non-governmental organization intended to help the local shrimp industry curb the incidental turtle deaths associated with trawling.  

For years, Arauz led the efforts to protect marine life, becoming a world renowned expert on shark finning. He first became aware of the issue while conducting a study on the effects of long-line shark fisheries on turtle populations, and was presented with some truly shocking footage showing  the horrific practice of shark finning.

Since then, Arauz has dedicated much of his time to the struggle against shark finning, exposing the illegal landing of shark fins on privately-owned docks, filing numerous lawsuits against the local Fisheries Institute at the Constitutional Court (Costa Rica’s highest court) to ensure the enforcement of the law and representing Costa Rica at international meetings calling for a complete ban on shark finning.

The Shark Coalition is proud to have Randall and PRETOMA among its members.

Further Reading:

Goldman Prize Winner: Randall Arauz (Profile available at the main site)

Saving the ocean by sparing sharks’ fins — Q&A with Goldman Prize winner Randall Arauz (SF Public Press Article)

PRETOMA (Main Site)

HONOLULU — The Humane Society of the United States (Humane Society International’s parent organization), along with Shark Allies and the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, praise the state House Judiciary Committee for passing a bill last week to combat the cruel and wasteful practice of shark-finning. Championed by Sen. Clayton Hee, D-Kahuku, La’ie, Ka’a'awa, Kane’ohe, SB 2169 would prohibit the sale, possession or distribution of shark fins and fin products, closing a major enforcement loophole in existing law. Should this law pass, it would be the first of its kind in the nation to ban the possession and sale of shark fins.

Shark finning involves cutting off the fins of sharks then throwing the shark back into the ocean, often while still alive, only to drown, starve or die a slow death due to predation from other species. Some species of shark are on the brink of extinction due to the cruel and exploitive shark fin industry.  

“Thanks to Representative Karamatsu and his committee, Hawaii has the opportunity to lead our country internationally in helping to balance the world’s ecology and environment by ceasing the senseless slaughter of one of the greatest predators of the world’s ocean,” said Sen. Hee. “Sharks have a very unique and distinguished presence in Hawaiian culture as family guardians who protect us from harm as our ‘aumakua’.  This effort acknowledges and pays respect to that special recognition by everyone in Hawaii.” 

“Hawaii is internationally renowned for its treasured marine life. We send our deepest gratitude to Senator Hee and House Judiciary Chair Jon Riki Karamatsu for their leadership on this ground-breaking measure which would rightfully make Hawaii the nation’s leader in shark and ocean protection,” said Inga Gibson, Hawaii state director for The HSUS.  

The bill now goes to the full House of Representatives for a vote. The HSUS urges the House to approve this landmark measure.

Facts about sharks:

• Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year; many in Hawaii, simply to supply the wasteful demand for shark fin soup. Shark populations cannot sustain current slaughter rates.
• Sharks are apex predators whose survival affects all other marine species and the entire ocean’s ecosystem.
• Unlike other fish species, sharks produce few pups, and thus, many species are endangered and/or threatened due to the fin trade.
• The U.S. Congress is currently considering the Shark Conservation Act, which would crack down on the lucrative and abusive trade in shark fins and close critical loopholes in the federal law to improve enforcement, such as requiring boats to land sharks with their fins still attached.