Great news! Thanks in part to the more than 13,000 Wavemakers like you who wrote to your Members of Congress, yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Shark Conservation Act of 2009.
Learn more about the sharks you are helping protect ยป
As you know, if this bill is passed by the Senate, it will require sharks to be landed with their fins still naturally attached, which means it will be easier to enforce than the current law, will improve data collection and shark fishery management.
Tens of millions of sharks are caught globally for just their fins each year. During the finning process, sharks are typically hauled up on deck, their fins sliced off and the animals thrown back to sea, often still alive.
For those of you who have been following this legislative process, the story may sound familiar — the same bill was introduced in the previous Congress and passed the House last July. It didn’t make it through the Senate; this time we are hoping to see the bill become law. I’ll be asking for your help again in the next few weeks to take action and make this true shark finning ban a reality.
Congratulations to all of you who have helped spread the word about the importance of shark conservation – we couldn’t do it without you.
For the oceans,
Beth Lowell
Federal Policy Director
Oceana
PS: To help Oceana continue to keep the ocean conservation victories coming, please consider making a donation in support of our efforts.
