Hawaii is inching closer toward becoming the only state in the U.S. to ban the sale and possession of shark fins, a move that would be hailed by environmentalists as a precedent-setting step toward shark conservation.
"The whole world is behind us. Now we just have to overcome a few individuals that are holding this up in the legislature," said Stefanie Brendl, who has been lobbying for support of Senate Bill 2169, sponsored by state Sen. Clayton Hee.The senator this week urged lawmakers to push the measure through a conference committee before Thursday's deadline, and ultimately to vote the bill into law. Since there has been more support than opposition, however, it remains a mystery to some as to why the bill has not already cleared the committee.
Shark-finning is the controversial practice of slicing fins from live sharks and dumping their bodies overboard. Shark fins are used for making soup, which is a considered a delicacy in affluent Asian communities, particularly Chinese markets. A single fin can fetch $1,000 or more, and a bowl of shark-fin soup in some of Hawaii's Chinese restaurants sells for $45.
Shark-finning is banned in Hawaiian waters but widespread in international waters, and the premise behind SB 2169 is simply to remove the market throughout the state.
Carl Meyer, a University of Hawaii researcher, said during a news conference on Sunday that more than 70 million sharks worldwide are killed annually for their fins. He further stated that sharks, which are a vital link in the marine environment's food chain, do not reproduce fast enough to sustain this measure of slaughter, and that regional efforts are important since international efforts to end finning have failed.
Despite growing support, SB 2169, which would make it a misdemeanor to buy, sell or possess shark fins in Hawaii, has advanced precariously through the committee process. There remains concern for the livelihoods of Hawaii-based shark fishermen and local Chinese residents who might consider eating shark-fin soup a cultural privilege.
The bill in its current form would allow the landing only of whole mako sharks captured beyond state waters. Their fins must be intact but cannot be sent to market. Some lawmakers want mako shark fins to be utilized as well, but the bill's supporters argue that this would lead to enforcement issues because it's impossible to determine by looking at fins what type of shark they came from.
Supporters of the bill also claim that allowing mako fins in Hawaiian markets would lead to an all-out assault on mako sharks.
"As it is they catch very few makos," said Brendl of the group Shark Allies, which has been working closely with the Humane Society of the United States to keep this bill alive. "And once they can't sell the fins, they will bring back even fewer makos."
Getting the bill scheduled for a vote in the Legislature before Thursday's deadlIne is crucial. Senator Hee brought in scientists, environmentalists and former First Lady Vicky Cayetano to speak during Sunday's news conference. Cayetano told the audience she was speaking "as a Chinese person" who regarded shark-fin soup as an indulgence rather than an important cultural tradition.
Hawaii's Star-Bulletin, in a recent editorial, declared, "Economic opposition to environmental measures aimed at protecting certain shark species has left them at great risk" and implored lawmakers to pass the bill.
Glenn Close, Ed Norton and Leonardo di Caprio, among other celebrities, have added star power to the campaign. Environmental groups remain cautiously optimistic that the ban will become a reality and lead other states and nations to enact similar laws.
"We hope that lawmakers around the world will follow suit in instituting similar protections for these critically important animals," Laleh Mohajerani, president of the Southern California-based group Iemanya Oceanica, wrote in an editorial. "We want to congratulate Hawaii's representatives for their groundbreaking efforts to get behind this measure."
Supporters of the bill also claim that allowing mako fins in Hawaiian markets would lead to an all-out assault on mako sharks.
"As it is they catch very few makos," said Brendl of the group Shark Allies, which has been working closely with the Humane Society of the United States to keep this bill alive. "And once they can't sell the fins, they will bring back even fewer makos."
Getting the bill scheduled for a vote in the Legislature before Thursday's deadlIne is crucial. Senator Hee brought in scientists, environmentalists and former First Lady Vicky Cayetano to speak during Sunday's news conference. Cayetano told the audience she was speaking "as a Chinese person" who regarded shark-fin soup as an indulgence rather than an important cultural tradition.
Hawaii's Star-Bulletin, in a recent editorial, declared, "Economic opposition to environmental measures aimed at protecting certain shark species has left them at great risk" and implored lawmakers to pass the bill.
Glenn Close, Ed Norton and Leonardo di Caprio, among other celebrities, have added star power to the campaign. Environmental groups remain cautiously optimistic that the ban will become a reality and lead other states and nations to enact similar laws.
"We hope that lawmakers around the world will follow suit in instituting similar protections for these critically important animals," Laleh Mohajerani, president of the Southern California-based group Iemanya Oceanica, wrote in an editorial. "We want to congratulate Hawaii's representatives for their groundbreaking efforts to get behind this measure."
If the bill is not scheduled for a vote before Thursday's deadline, however, it will itself have at least temporarily suffered a slow, unfortunate demise.
--Pete Thomas
Photo courtesy of SharkDiver.com.
Comments