(California) Governor signs shark fin ban

[alp227]

Source: SF Chronicle

(10-07) 13:19 PDT Sacramento --

Shark fins will no longer be sold or used in food in California starting in 2013, under a law Gov. Jerry Brown signed today that bans the possession, sale and distribution of imported shark fins in the state.

"The practice of cutting the fins off of living sharks and dumping them back in the ocean is not only cruel, but it harms the health of our oceans," Brown said. "Researchers estimate that some shark populations have declined by more than 90 percent, portending grave threats to our environment and commercial fishing. In the interest of future generations, I have signed this bill."

Hawaii, Oregon and Washington have similar statewide bans. However, proponents have said California is a critical state and a ban here would have a major impact on the practice. The bill is AB376 by Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Sunnyvale.

California already banned shark finning along the coast. The new ban will forbid the importation of any shark fins starting Jan. 1. Fins already in the state can be sold and possessed until July 1, 2013.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/07/BABD1LEU1T.DTL

[Puglover]

1. Good.

I hope it's not too late.

[CountAllVotes]

9. Good

Shark fin soup is common fare in San Francisco's Chinatown.

It is considered a delicacy. Why I'll never know. :puke:

Good job Gov. Brown!


:dem: :kick:

[bbinacan]

2. Cutting the fins off and dumping the sharks?

That's really bad dude. Shark fin soup is very popular in the Asian communities, but they should harvest the entire fish.

[bread_and_roses]

4. Are you saying it would be OK to kill 90% of a species

as long as "they" were selling/using the entire fish?

I don't think so.

[bbinacan]

6. 90%

Where'd that figure come from? Who can legally kill whales?

[SemperEadem]

8. it came from Jerry Brown's mouth

Brown said: "Researchers estimate that some shark populations have declined by more than 90 percent, portending grave threats to our environment and commercial fishing. In the interest of future generations, I have signed this bill."

That means that shark populations have declined by more than 90%.

He wasn't discussing whales. He was discussing shrinking shark populations.

The Asians are just going to have to do without it in CA. It won't kill them, but it's killing the shark populations.

[bread_and_roses]

3. good. (n/t)

[JackRiddler]

5. But how will people see the shark coming if it doesn't have a fin?!

Ah, let me make my silly jokes.

[red dog 1]

7. I guess Jerry Brown isn't ALL bad,

One day he vetoes a bill that would let child-care workers join a union; and the next day he does something good.....What will he do next?

[MADem]

10. Gee, here's where cloning could do a "Have your cake and eat it too" situation

Some genius could clone shark fins (just the fins) in a lab, and sell 'em! Of course, you'd have to get by the FDA, but since they don't give a crap about food safety anymore, I would bet a small bribe would be all it might take.

I wouldn't eat a shark fin on a bet, but there's no accounting for tastes, I suppose. If they could make them and not kill the sharks, that might make everyone happy.