Shark Conservation

The Shark Conservation Act of 2010 (SCA) was passed by the 111th United States Congress that amended the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to improve the conservation of sharks. Also called the International Fisheries Agreement Clarification Act,^[1] the bill was approved by the House of Representatives on March 2, 2009 by voice vote and the Senate on December 20, 2010 by unanimous consent. A record of each representative's position was not kept. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011.^[2]

A decade earlier, the Shark Finning Prohibition Act (SFPA) had been passed to combat the increased practice of removing fins from sharks, usually taken in bycatch by longline fishing vessels, to satisfy increased demand for shark fin soup, a delicacy in China. In 2008, a federal appeals court ruled that transshipment of fins taken by other vessels was not prohibited by the SFPA. Within weeks of that decision, the SCA was introduced to close that loophole. It prohibits any person from cutting the fins of a shark at sea and from possessing, transferring and landing shark fins (including the tail) that are not "naturally attached to the corresponding carcass". In addition it prohibits any person from landing a shark carcass without its corresponding fins being "naturally attached".^[3][4]

The act protects all shark species, with an exception for commercial fishing of smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis) with a valid State license within 50 nautical miles of that State's coast.

Why Should WE SAVE Shark

Sharks play a vital role in the oceans in a way that the average fish does not. Most sharks serve as top predators at the pinnacle of the marine food pyramid, and so play a critical role in ocean ecosystems. Directly or indirectly they regulate the natural balance of these ecosystems, at all levels, and so are an integral part of them. As they usually hunt old, weak or sick prey, they help to keep the prey population in good condition, healthy and strong, enabling these more naturally fit animals to reproduce and pass on their genes.  The effects of removing sharks from ocean ecosystems, although complex and rather unpredictable, are very likely to be ecologically and economically damaging.

How to SAVE Shark

• Confiscating tens of thousands of illegally obtained shark fins, leading to multiple arrests.
• Pulling in thousands of miles of longlines with baited hooks and freeing entangled animals.
• Partnering with Ecuadorian environmental police to form a special K-9 unit to sniff for shark fins.
• Developing intelligence networks to assist in the seizure of shark fins from protected areas.
• Educating the public via printed materials, presentations, videos, and restaurant campaigns.
• Maintaining a permanent presence in the Galapagos Marine Reserve to defend against poachers.