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Shark Conservation Act to ban shark finning passed by U.S Congress
Published: 23-Dec-10 12:23:50
Author: Anna
Source: The Examiner Travel
Related: 10-Apr-10 23:11:09
After being handed a bill to end the brutal act of shark finning in United States' waters, by environmentalists and scuba diving organisations, The U.S House has approved the Shark Conservation Act.
After a series of campaigns by environmentalists and leisure scuba diving organisations, the Senate version of the Shark Conservation Act has been passed by the U.S House and President Obama to ban shark finning in U.S waters.
The brutal act involves the shark's fins being sliced off and used for an Asian delicacy, shark fin soup, which is a popular dish amongst the middle classed population. The sharks are the released back into the ocean where they bleed to death. The cruel practice also means that it makes it harder for marine specialists to identify sharks in the waters which then leads to the difficult management of the creatures.
Scuba diving enthusiasts and organisations have been supporting environmentalists to end shark banning and provide a higher level of protection for the shark species.
Sharks have played an important role as predators in the marine ecosystem for over 400 million years but the predators are at risk from human exploitation, and with shark populations declining over the years this could lead to a change in the ecosystem as we know it.
Diving with sharks has become a popular activity for many travellers and divers over recent years and scuba diving organisations are keen to help maintain a healthy ocean ecosystem and protect the beautiful creatures.
After the act was passed by the U.S House of Representatives on Tuesday 21st December 2010, a marine scientist with the conservation group Oceana, Elizabeth Griffin Wilson, said: "We've finally realized that sharks are worth more alive than dead. While shark fins and other shark products are valuable, the role sharks play in the marine ecosystem is priceless."
Shark finning is now banned in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific waters surrounding the United States and activists are hoping that this positive outcome will lead to an international ban of the cruel and needless act.
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