MD proposes shark fin ban.

Oceana reports that state representatives in Maryland have introduced bills that would ban the sale, trade, and possession of shark fins. HB 393 was introduced by Delegate Eric Luedtke in the House, and SB 465 was introduced by Senator Brian Frosh in the Senate.

If the bill becomes a law, violators could face fines ranging from $5,000 for the first offense up to $50,000 for repeat offenses, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Proposed Shark Fin Ban

A bill that would ban the possession, sale, trade, and distribution of shark fins in the state of Illinois has been proposed by State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The proposed bill HB4119 is collaborative effort between Feigenholtz and the Illinois wing of The Humane Society of the United States.

If passed, the bill would go into effect in July 2013. For more information on the proposed bill, check out the Sun-Times article, or head over to the Illinois General Assembly website to read HB4119.

Fin-free "shark fin" soup

According to an article from The New Yorker, San Franciso chef Corey Lee has created his version of “shark fin soup” that doesn’t use shark fins in the recipe. Lee worked with food scientists to develop an alternative method to create the “shark fin texture” The method involves using hydrocolloids in the broth to achieve the desired texture which Lee described as being “gelatinous and brittle” at the same time.

Lee’s version of the soup, which is served at his Benu restaurant, received approval from renown chef Cecelia Chiang. The New Yorker reports that Chiang, who is credited with bringing Northern Chinese cooking to America, had no idea that the soup was not made with shark fins.

You can check out the full story at The New Yorker’s Culture Desk.

You can check out the entire article at Forbes.

Clarke points out that her best estimate in 2000 was that 38 million sharks per year were being traded worldwide through fin markets, but that the range could be anywhere from 26 million to 73 million. She also points out that many conservation organizations cite that commercial fishing operations kill millions of sharks each year but rarely is her best estimate of 38 million used. Rather, the figures of 73 million (her top-end estimate) or 100 million are used instead.

The 100 million statistic was initially published in a 1997 Time magazine article. The article titled “Under Attack” stated that “30 to 100 million” sharks were harvested each year for their meat, fins, jaws, hides, and internal organs. However, Clarke says she can find “no scientific basis” for the figure.

Clarke goes on to say that her own figures are often misquoted as representing the number of sharks “killed for their fins” or “finned alive.” She notes that no one actually knows how many sharks are killed for their fins or are finned alive and dumped back into the ocean, because the data simply is not available.

When bringing up the question of why the actual number is important, Clarke offers that misuse or “selective and slanted” use of information devalues the impartial work done by researchers to obtain the data. She also warns that misrepresentation and exaggeration of facts can undermine and discredit otherwise worthwhile shark conservation efforts. Additionally, Clarke points out the accurate catch numbers are needed in order to properly manage long-term shark population sustainability.

Clarke finishes her commentary with some guidelines to being a better “science consumer.”

To read Clarke’s commentary in its entirety, head on over to SeaWeb.org.

Discovery Networks recently uploaded the video above to their YouTube channel which focuses on recently passed legislation in Chile, Honduras, and the Bahamas that helps to protect sharks within those countries’ waters. Honduras and the Bahamas have recently banned commercial fishing making their waters a “shark sanctuary,” while Chile has banned the practice of shark finning.

DaytimeTVShow has recently uploaded a video feature on National Geographic’s “Shark Men.” The video includes an interview with Chris Fischer and covers shark finning, shark conservation efforts, and catching great white sharks.

On a side note, the feature makes the claim that 90 million sharks are killed for their fins each year. As has been noted in the past, research published in 2006 indicates that an estimated An estimated 26 million to 73 million sharks are killed annually for commercial markets.

The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the California Assembly “overwhelmingly approved” (62-8 vote) a measure that could ban the sale and distribution of shark fins in the state. The bill (AB376) will now move on to the state Senate. If the bill is approved by the Senate, the shark fin ban will take effect on January 1, 2013.

The bill has been somewhat controversial since the ban of shark fins would result in making shark fin soup illegal. The soup is regarded as a Chinese delicacy. Opponents of the bill have claimed that the bill targets Asian cultures unfairly.

Washington has banned the trade and sale of shark fins.

The Seattle Times is reporting that Washington’s Governor Chris Gregoire has signed a shark fin ban into law. Senate Bill 5688 prohibits the sale or trade of shark fins or shark fin derivatives in the state. The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate and by a vote of 95 to 1 in the House.

Shark fins are primarily used for shark fin soup. The practice of shark finning can involve cut the fins off of live sharks and dumping the rest of the animal back into the sea to drown. Supporters of the bill hope that it will reduce pressure on the world’s shark populations.

Along the same lines as the PSAs mentioned in the previous post, the Pew Environment Group and The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) have also released the above PSA, which features plenty of underwater shark footage and touches on both the economic value of shark tourism in The Bahamas and the environmental value of sharks to the marine ecosystem.