And speaking one more time of sharks, today turned out to be a landmark day for Hawaii and all of the islands' proponents of shark conservation. As reported in Pete Thomas' blog, the state's proposed shark fin ban, SB 2169, was signed today by Governor Linda Lingle.
I have reported on the progress of this important legislation in past posts (click here and here) and now it is finally a done deal. While nation's bicker over whether to curtail the lucrative shark fin market, perhaps the future lies in regional efforts such as Hawaii's.
Whatever the future may hold, this is at least a moment of celebration for the sharks and the oceans of the world!
Read Pete Thomas' blog post.
2 comments:
What about fins that come from scientifically proven fisheries from Countries such as Australia, where the fins are by-products - and the meat the main target, which is consumed as flake (fish and chips)?? Not all shark fisheries are bad or wasteful.
Anonymous:
Hawaii's shark fin industry is basically geared for the Asian market whose demand far exceeds the sustainability of the species. Additionally, Hawaii has a traditional culture that frowns on the commercialization of shark.
I am curious as to what you mean by "scientifically proven fisheries." Industrial fishing of all species of shark has reached the point where there is scant justification that it is sustainable, whether it be large pelagic species or more local species, like dogfish.
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