Butchered shark fins seized from shrimp boat off Key West.

[Cattledog]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article142029049.html

Florida wildlife officers made a grisly discovery aboard a Key West shrimp boat this week: dozens of pairs of dismembered shark fins.

The boat was discovered about 20 miles north of the island Wednesday night, an indication that illegal finning still occurs in Florida waters despite being banned more than 16 years ago. Buying and selling fins also remains legal in most states, fueling a practice that targets some of the world’s biggest and longest-lived sharks that are also among the planet’s oldest species.

“When we import them we have no idea if they came from sustainable shark fisheries or fisheries where they’re still finning,” said Mariah Pfleger, a scientist for Oceana, which is pushing a bill to ban the trade.

The boat was stopped by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers who alerted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service. FWC referred questions to NOAA and NOAA declined to release details, saying it was too soon in the investigation.

However, Oceana reported that officers found between 30 and 40 pairs of fins. NOAA Fisheries is continuing to investigate and no charges have been filed, spokeswoman Kim Amendola said in an email.

Worldwide, shark finning has been blamed for killing up to 73 million sharks every year, with 27,000 tons of fins traded in 2013. The practice can be particularly gruesome: after their fins are sliced off, the sharks are often tossed overboard and either suffocate because they can’t swim or are eaten by other predators.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article142029049.html#storylink=cpy

[Sunlei]

1. USA imports tons of shark fins to resell to China. VERY easy for USA poachers to kill sharks.

USA "sport fishermen" constantly catch sharks, most just release sharks but some don't.

Hope the fine/punishment is Large enough to scare off more USA poachers.

Is it a wrist slap for poachers? or No fishing permit for 20 years or life for poachers?

[democratisphere]

2. More humans with no respect for other protected species.

The fishing boat should be confiscated and destroyed or dismantled for parts. Get serious about stopping this destruction and cruelty to animals.

[kimbutgar]

3. Don't worry, chump will change the rules to make this legal

Another job killing regulation like it now being ok to kill hibernating animals or shot animals from helicopters.