U.S. takes aim at global shark fin trade

The U.S. is about to take a bite out of the shark fin trade.

The U.S. is about to take a bite out of the shark fin trade.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is currently reviewing the funding and implementation of a long-awaited ban on the trafficking of shark fins through U.S. ports, a move that could disrupt their broader global trade.

NOAA’s review comes after President Joe Biden signed the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act into law in December. It’s a move that some scientists and researchers have fought for years, pointing to a deep debate about just how the U.S. should use its influence to end the global fin trade.

On one side, many experts including some in NOAA and its parent agency, the Department of Commerce, have argued that the new law will undo decades of U.S. work to encourage sustainable practices. 

“Domestic bans on harvesting fins would also undermine our efforts to promote international dialogue and negotiations on sustainable shark management,” Chris Oliver, NOAA’s fisheries assistant administrator, wrote in 2020. “Responsibly participating in the global fin trade allows the United States to showcase our strong conservation and management practices overseas.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/us-takes-aim-global-shark-fin-trade-rcna68369

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