The UK will go further than any other country to stop the cruel
practice of shark finning International Ocean Minister announced
today, thanks to new legislation set to ban the import and export
of shark fin products.
The UK has a strong track record in marine conservation and has
been pressing for stronger international action to protect sharks
against unsustainable fishing practices and shark finning, which
is the practice of removing a shark’s fins at sea and discarding
the finless body back into the water.
Many species of shark face significant population pressures. Out
of over 500 species of shark, 143 are listed as ‘under threat’
under the International Union for Conservation of Nature – with
different species ranging from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘critically
endangered’. The presence and variety of sharks in marine areas
acts as a key indicator for ocean health while the animals also
play a vital role in marine ecosystems by helping to maintain
healthy levels of fish below them in the food chain.
Demand for shark fin products is a significant driver for these
pressures, alongside over-fishing. Banning detached fins from
being brought into the UK will help to protect wild populations
of shark species, such as the endangered short fin mako shark and
overfished blue shark, which have both declined rapidly as a
result of unsustainable fishing practices.
The ban will maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in
protecting animal welfare restricting the import of and export of
detached shark fins as well as products which contain shark fins
including soup and other products.
Animal Welfare Minister
said:
“Shark finning is indescribably cruel and causes thousands of
shark to die terrible deaths. It is also unforgivably wasteful.
The practice is rightly banned in UK waters, but the trade
continues, with serious implications for the future of these
magnificent creatures.”
“That is why we are now banning the import both of detached shark
fins and shark fin products. Our action will not only help boost
shark numbers, it will send a clear message that we do not
support an industry that is forcing many species to the brink of
extinction”
“The UK is a global leader in marine protection, with our ‘blue
belt’ programme protecting an area of ocean around British
Overseas Territories the size of India, as well as plans to pilot
Highly Protected Marine Areas in our domestic waters. The UK is
also leading a global campaign, supported by over 80 countries,
for at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean to be protected by
2030.”
Ali Hood, Director of Conservation for the Shark Trust
said:
“The Shark Trust welcomes the prohibition in trade in detached
fins as the next action in a history of proactive moves by the UK
Government, which supported leaving fins naturally attached as
best practice years before adoption of the policy by the EU in
2013.
“It is encouraging to see the UK addressing the fin trade as an
element of overfishing: the principal threat to sharks and rays.
And we’re noting that the UK is ramping up its engagement in
domestic and international shark conservation issues, currently
championing the science-based advice for a prohibition on mako in
North Atlantic high-seas fisheries.”
Shark Conservationist James Glancy said:
"New measures from the UK Government to protect sharks from the
cruel shark fin trade are welcomed by conservationists.
“The unsustainable rate at which sharks are caught by global
fishing fleets, as bycatch or deliberately for their fins and
meat, has caused a significant decline in worldwide shark
populations.
“Sharks have been around for millions of years and play a crucial
role for the health of our oceans yet, as a consequence of human
activity, many shark species are critically endangered and face
extinction in some regions.”
We will continue to champion conservation measures for sharks
through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (the
international organisations which regulate fishing activities on
the High Seas) and under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES) which prohibits or requires trades to
be carefully regulated. This ban represents another important
step in our journey to delivering better shark conservation
globally.
Today’s announcement is part of the Government’s plan to
eradicate cruel practices and improve standards both domestically
and overseas as set out in our Action Plan for Animal
Welfare.
