Does the U.S. Need to Stop the Domestic Shark Fin Trade? (H.R. 1456)
Do you support or oppose this bill?
What is H.R. 1456?
(Updated September 24, 2019)
This bill would make it illegal to possess, trade, distribute, sell, or purchase shark fins in the U.S. and also prohibit their import or export. It would also establish penalties for shark finning under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Under current law, shark finning — the practice of cutting off the fins of a shark to sell them as food — is illegal in U.S. waters and has been since 2000, though buying, selling, or possessing shark fins is allowed. After the fins are removed, oftentimes the shark is thrown back into the sea where it will drown, bleed to death, or be eaten by other ocean creatures.
There would be an exemption for people who have a shark fin that was obtained legally under a state, territorial, or federal license as long as the fin is taken from the shark to be:
Destroyed or discarded;
Retained by the license holder and not sold;
Used — but not sold — for subsistence purposes in compliance with state or territorial law;
Used solely for display or research purposes by a museum, college, university, or other person granted a permit to conduct scientific research.
Argument in favor
Shark finning is a barbaric practice and the U.S. needs to do what it can to stop it by making the sale or purchase of shark fins illegal.
Argument opposed
If the U.S. tries to stop the shark fin trade by making it illegal to buy or sell fins, the trade will still persist by moving to the black market.
Impact
Sharks; people who buy or sell shark fins; and the federal government.
Cost of H.R. 1456
A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.
Additional Info
In-Depth: During the last Congress, actor Morgan Freeman joined lawmakers and an advocacy group known as Oceana at a press conference announcing the introduction of this bill's predecessor, and pushed for the legislation’s passage:
“Sharks are being killed for their fins, much like rhinos and elephants have been decimated due to the demand for their horns and tusks. While shark finning is banned in U.S. waters, we continue to buy, sell and trade shark fins throughout the country. By allowing the trade of shark fins within our borders, the U.S. continues to contribute to this global problem.”
A representative of the Sustainable Shark Alliance, a coalition of shark fishermen and seafood dealers advocating for sustainable U.S. shark fisheries, expressed opposition to this bill in that it'd effectively punish American shark fishermen who abide by the law while doing nothing about shark finning in other countries:
"The bill will, as a practical matter, end domestic commercial shark fishing because, on average, fins account for half the value of the landed catch. Absent that income, fishermen would lose money catching and landing these fish. The ban also runs counter to the main principle behind this nation's fisheries law: to maximize the economic return from sustainable use of our maritime resources. In short, the legislation harms American fishing families and coastal communities merely to send a message about unsustainable and cruel fishing practices abroad."
This legislation has 239 bipartisan cosponsors in the House, including 163 Democrats and 76 Republicans.
Of Note: According to Oceana as many 73 million sharks have their fins removed in a given year, and several species that are frequent targets are considered to be vulnerable or endangered populations. Much of the demand for shark fins is driven by the consumption of shark fin soup, which is considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures.
Media:
- Sponsoring Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) Press Release
- Los Angeles Times
- The Hill (Opposed)
- Humane Society (In Favor)
- Oceana (In Favor)
- Wildlife Conservation Society (In Favor)
Summary by Eric Revell
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