Andrew is a post-doctoral researcher in North Carolina focused on population and conservation genetics in hydrothermal vent communities.
Image from Jessica King, Marine Photobank
All eyes in the shark world are focused on Belgium, where the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee votes Wednesday on one of the most significant conservation policies in years: a stronger EU-wide ban on shark finning via a prohibition on removing sharks at sea, with no more exceptions. Since some of the details are quite technical, emotions are running high, and a lot of misinformation is spreading, I’ve prepared a quick guide to help our readers understand the proposed policy. For much more detailed updates, follow the Shark Alliance’s blog.
1) The proposed policy would strengthen the current EU finning ban, not ban fins. As has previously been discussed, some of the language surrounding shark conservation policy can be confusing. As a reminder, shark finning is the act of removing fins from a shark at sea and dumping the body overboard. Finning of live sharks is incredibly inhumane (the “finned” shark will bleed to death or drown when dumped overboard), and incredibly wasteful whether the shark is alive or dead (less than 5% of the shark is used). Scientists are almost universally opposed to shark finning because it is often associated with unsustainable fishing and the practice makes it difficult for managers to know what species of shark the fin came from. The policy that the European Parliament is voting on is an amendment to the current EU ”finning ban”,” which relies on a complicated and lenient fin to carcass ratio for enforcement. The European Commission has proposed requiring that sharks be landed with fins still attached, which would strengthen enforcement and data collection capabilities. This is not a “fin ban” that would make it illegal to buy, sell, or possess fins.
2) If this proposal passes, it will help sharks. A lot. Requiring that fishermen land sharks naturally attached is an important step in the path to sustainable shark fisheries management. It will help enforcement agents ensure that finning is not taking place and help scientists and managers to keep track of how much of which species are being taken. Since the European Union is the world’s largest supplier of shark fins to the markets in Asia and a powerful force at all international fisheries bodies, an EU-wide switch to more sustainable fishing practices could have an enormous impact.
3) The devil is in the details with conservation policy. A 2003 regulation already banned finning for EU vessels, but it is full of loopholes and the Shark Alliance calls it ”among the most lenient in the world”. Specifically, it allows EU members states to issue special permits for their fishermen to remove fins at sea as long as they keep the carcasses (and the total weight of landed fins can’t exceed a certain ratio of the total weight of landed carcasses). Such a measure is called a “Fin to carcass ratio limit”, and they are widely criticized by the scientific and conservation community since the actual ratio of fin weight to body weight varies widely by shark species, shark age, and fin removal practice (which allows some “cheating” by fishermen). The new rule would eliminate these special permits and require that all EU vessels land sharks with fins naturally attached with no exceptions.
4) This is a big step, but just one step on a very long road.The Shark Alliance has been pushing for this since 2006, a process they’ve chronicled with an interactive infographic. If the European Parliament Fisheries Committee passes the proposal, it still has to go before the full Parliament. Even then, there’s still a lot of work to do to protect sharks around the world, including pushing for other countries to stop finning, species-specific protections for particularly threatened species (including but not limited to CITES and fishing bans), requirements that fishermen report the species composition of their catch, and more.
5) The vote is expected to be close, but you can help! The Shark Alliance is asking for the public to show their support by tweeting at Members of Parliament who serve on the Fisheries Committee. This is a quick and easy way for us to demonstrate that there is a lot of public interest in (and support for) the finning ban. Follow the Shark Alliance on twitter and check out their recent updates. You can RT their tweets, but composing your own would be a big help. Here are some suggestions:
We need your support to prevent shark finning. Vote on September 19 to end fin removal at sea, no exceptions. (109 characters with spaces).MEPs: we need your support to prevent shark finning. Vote Wednesday to end fin removal at sea, no exceptions. (109 characters with spaces)MEPs on Fisheries Committee: help prevent shark finning by voting September 19 to end fin removal at sea, no exceptions (120 characters with spaces).MEPs on PECH Committee: help prevent shark finning by voting September 19 to end fin removal at sea, no exceptions (115 characters with spaces).
Shark fin finale in European Parliament: MEPs must vote Sept 19 to end removal of fins at sea, no exceptions (109 characters with spaces).Urging PECH MEPs to vote Sept 19 to strengthen EU shark finning ban thru ban on at-sea fin removal, no exceptions! (115 characters with spaces).Seeking MEPs to help prevent shark finning by voting September 19 to end fin removal at sea, no exceptions! (106 characters with spaces).Crucial vote on shark finning. Ask Fisheries Committee MEPs to vote Sept 19 for ending at-sea fin removal, no exceptions! (121 characters with spaces).Fisheries Committee MEPs choose Sept 19 to close loopholes in EU shark finning ban. Ask them to end fin removal at sea. (119 characters with spaces).
BULGARIAFRANCEIRELANDPOLANDSPAINSWEDEN
UNITED KINGDOM
The practice of shark finning is totally callous and should be banned immediatly.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stop this inhumane and wasteful practise.
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
Please stop the cruel shark finning. That is one of the meanest things to do to anything, or anyone.
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
stop the cruelty everyone oe gods creatures has the right to life
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
I can’t imagine a more cruel practice! Why take the fin only to throw the shark back!
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
i cant believe we actually have to ask EU to ban shark-finning for comercial trade and other not-sustainable actions with nature. its cruel meaningless and absolutely without any form of propiety. do i have to remind how mankind react when its the other way around and people experience one sharkattack??? i hereby hope that the right people concerned act with the responsiblelity that their job calls for and ban this madness.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Shark finning must be stopped and these creatures should no longer be allowed to suffer – it’s inhumane!!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stop Shark Finning
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
This inhumane practice must be stopped!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stop the killing of all sea creatures. You don’t see them coming on land and removing our body parts, leaving us to suffer an inhumane death. STOP NOW!!!!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This is sooo inhumane and very sad
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stop shark finning
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
This is a cruel practice. This is an unsustainable practice. It’s destroying the natural food chain. Shark fins are not a vital food source!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Yes, inhumane, but how to convince the Chinese and others who consider it a delicacy akin to fois gras, as well as a status symbol?
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
We need to stop all animal abuse. Why do humans think they should be able to do evil things to animals.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I fully support the Europeanc Union shark finning ban. But we can also help by not going to restaurants that serve fin soup.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
thank you everybody out there for caring!!!
this gives me hope!!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stop shark finning NOW!!! I see fewer and fewer sharks when I dive and its a sad and sorry sign of things to come. Soon its going to be too late.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Please stop this horrible cruelty against the sharks. It would be no different if someone cut your arms off and threw you in the water. This is so wrong
Please stop
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
This inhumane pratice needs to be stopped!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
This is so unnecessary, this cruelty must be stopped now!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
stop killing animals in vain it is inhumane
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Please ban the finning of sharks, such a wasteful and inhumane treatment of these beautiful creatures.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
There is no way to justify this – if you condone it or benefit from it you are greedy or self-indulgent to the point of barbarism. Can we humans treat other humans or animals thus…and not expect to have to be accountable for our error?
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stop it!!
Like or Dislike:
1 
0