June 19, 2013 — After a long battle to receive the protections they deserve, sharks are still being hunted to near extinction for their fins. The worldwide finning of sharks has devastated the shark population. As many as 73 million sharks are killed every year, up to 200,000 per day, usually just for their fins. Shark fins are worth more than shark meat, so the fins are often cut off and the rest of the shark’s body is carelessly tossed back into the ocean.
And it isn’t just sharks that are affected by the hunting; sharks are so important for keeping the balance in the marine ecosystem, particularly with maintaining fish populations and coral reef health. Many sharks are now threatened, endangered or close to extinction because of this awful fishing practice.
Ten states and territories, including Oregon, Maryland, California, Hawaii and Guam, have taken shark protection into their own hands and implemented shark fin trade bans. These laws are an effort to go even further than federal laws to protect sharks, by making it illegal to sell, trade or possess shark fins.
Read the full story from The PEW Charitable Trusts and view the petition