A Northern Marianas Congressman says a US-wide ban on the trade of shark fins would help stop the worldwide decline in shark populations.
US Congress Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan has introduced a bipartisan bill to ban the shark fin trade across the United States. Photo: USDA/Lance Cheung.
US Congress Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan has introduced a bipartisan bill to ban the trade across the United States.
If follows the introduction of similar legislation in the CNMI in 2011.
Congressman Sablan said the killing of more than 70 million sharks each year for their fins alone is alarming.
He says a US trade ban would help preserve shark species.
"By banning the selling and buying of shark fins in the United States, basically so thus removing the economic incentive for shark finning. The United States already bans sharkfinning in United States waters, but fins are imported from countries that do not adequately protect sharks."
Congressman Sablan says a US-wide ban would set an example to the rest of the world.