July 27, 2017 — The following is an excerpt from a report, by Jim Strickland of WSB-TV in Atlanta, about a new bill, co-sponsored by Georgia Congressmen David Scott and Buddy Carter, that would outlaw the sale of all shark fins, including legally caught ones, in the United States:
The new bill, which would create the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act, has stirred a fight over whether dealing in shark fins should be made illegal.
Videos of “finning,” where foreign fishing fleets cut the fins off live sharks then throw the fish back to slowly die, pepper YouTube.
“You shouldn’t do it and that’s all there is to it. Not to mention it’s cruel,” said licensed Georgia shark fisherman Charlie Phillips. As vice chair of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Phillips advises the government on seafood policy.
Finning live sharks has been outlawed in the U.S. since 2000. Here, fins must be harvested on land, after the fish is caught and killed at sea. Violators risk fines and banishment from the industry.
“I don’t let anyone do anything illegal on my boat,” said commercial shark fisherman Dave Campo.
“They’re impacting the American fisherman for what may be happening in other places, that we’ll never control,” Campo said.
It’s not just the fishermen saying so. So does the director of the nation’s official shark research lab, Dr. Bob Hueter of Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.
“They’ll have to throw the fins in the dumpsters which is wasteful and it doesn’t make any sense for the fishery,” Dr. Hueter said.
According to Dr. Hueter, a ban will wipe out responsible shark fishing here, while countries that still allow live finning will fill the void.
“By doing this we’re essentially punishing the wrong people,” Dr. Hueter told Strickland.