Stronger Shark Finning Ban Endorsed in Landslide Vote by European Parliament

The EU banned finning in 2003, but the associated regulation includes loopholes that allow shark fins to be removed on board and landed separately from shark bodies, which hampers enforcement.   

"We owe so much of our success to the tens of thousands of divers across Europe who voiced their concern for sharks," said Suzanne Pleydell, Director for Project AWARE Foundation in Europe. "By demonstrating the economic benefits of sound shark stewardship, divers brought new EU Member States to the debate to support a stronger finning policy that reflects the values of the entire European Union, not just its shark fishing powers."

Parliament's final report now goes to the EU Council of Ministers and Commission as part of the process to finalize the regulation. Conservation groups stressed that finning bans alone are insufficient to save sharks.

"Strong finning bans are fundamental to effective shark fisheries management and particularly important for shark fishing powers like the EU, but our work is far from done," said Sonja Fordham, President of Shark Advocates International. "We urge swift finalization of the amended finning regulation, and remain committed to securing additional, complementary safeguards including science-based limits on shark catch and trade."

The groups are turning their sights to the next big battleground for sharks: the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species whose Parties meet in March to consider proposals to list commercially valuable, threatened shark species, including porbeagles, hammerheads, and oceanic whitetips.  Proponents for listing include the EU and U.S.