News |
California lawmakers pass bill banning shark-fin trade |
|
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's Legislature sent Gov. Jerry Brown
a bill seeking to ban the sale, trade or possession of shark fins on
Tuesday, over the objections of two senators who called the measure
racist because the fins are used in a soup considered a delicacy in some
Asian cultures.
The bill has split the Asian delegation in the Legislature. It was introduced by Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, and was supported by Sen. Carol Liu, D-Pasadena, who said it is needed to protect endangered shark species. Others disagreed. Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, noted that the bill would ban only part of the shark while permitting the continued consumption of shark skin or steaks. "This bill goes out of its way to be discriminatory," Lieu said. "They single out one cultural practice." Critics of the practice, which already is restricted in U.S. waters, estimate that fishermen kill 73 million sharks each year for their fins. They said it is particularly cruel because the wounded sharks often are returned to the ocean to die after their fins are removed. Read the complete stroy from The Associated Press
|
|||
|
|
||
Monterey Bay's historic "wetfish" industry is under attack by extremist groups who claim overfishing is occurring. Touting studies with faulty calculations, activists are lobbying federal regulators to massively limit fishing, if not ban these fisheries outright. Apparently the facts don’t matter to groups with an anti-fishing agenda
