COARE: news | California Shark Fin Ban (AB376) press release

California Shark Fin Ban (AB376) Signed into Law! . . .
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
07 October 2011


         HISTORIC CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION PROTECTS SHARKS

   Governor Jerry Brown Signed Assembly Bill 376 into Law Today,
            Making State the Largest to Ban Shark Fins.


Sacramento, Califonia - 07 October 2011 -- Today, the
State of California enacted a legislative ban on shark
fins, through the adoption of Assembly Bill 376
(authored by Paul Fong and Jared Huffman). The bill was
signed by Gov. Jerry Brown into law today.  The Center
for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education (COARE),
applauds the State of California for joining them in
their work to actively address shark conservation
issues, and their attempts to reduce shark fin
consumption in the U.S. and worldwide.

California is now the third State in the continental
U.S. to ban shark fins. The law represents a significant
step towards reducing pressure on rapidly declining
shark populations.  

"The practice of cutting the fins off of living sharks
and dumping them back in the ocean is not only cruel,
but it harms the health of our oceans," said Governor
Brown.  "Researchers estimate that some shark
populations have declined by more than 90 percent,
portending grave threats to our environment and
commercial fishing.  In the interest of future
generations, I have signed this bill."

California is one of the largest sources of demand for
shark fin outside Asia and is a major entry for shark
fin distribution in the United States. 

Every year, fins from up to 73 million sharks are used
for shark fin soup, a dish traditionally served at
Chinese weddings and banquets.  This soup has grown in
popularity, increasing consumer demand for shark fins
and contributing to the decimation of shark populations
worldwide as millions of sharks are killed every month,
many for their fins alone.  As a result of these fishing
pressures, one-third of shark species are already
threatened with extinction.

"I'm pleased that California can take part in the
worldwide movement to protect these important creatures,
and that we can continue to provide leadership in
important environmental matters," said California
Assemblymember Paul Fong, Sept. 6th, when the measure 
passed the Senate.  "We're grateful for organizations 
like COARE, which have provided invaluable support 
throughout this process."

"Sharks have shaped ocean ecosystems for more than 400
million years, but we've pushed many of them to the
brink of extinction just in our lifetimes.  This new law
represents a much needed shift in the way we treat our
ocean's fragile resources, said Alexandra Cousteau,
founder of Blue Legacy and granddaughter of conservation
pioneer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

"Shark populations have declined dramatically over the
last few decades as a result of human greed and lack of
understanding," said Christopher Chin, COARE's Executive
Director.  We're thrilled that Governor Brown has done
the right thing, and seen past the grousing of special
interests," continued Chin. "We look forward to a now
brighter future for our oceans."

Assembly Bill (AB) 376 was introduced to the California
State Assembly on 14 February 2011 by Assemblymembers
Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) and Jared Huffman (D-San
Rafael), and subsequently passed the Assembly on 23 May
2011 with a vote of 65-8 and the State Senate on 06
September 2011 with a vote of 25-9.

California's ban complements similar legislation
recently signed into law by Washington Governor Chris
Gregoire and Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.
California's ban is also preceded by legislative bans
already adopted by the State of Hawai'i, Guam, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI),
Fiji, and the Bahamas.


About COARE
The Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and
Education, Inc. (COARE) is a tax-exempt nonprofit
organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Its
purpose is to study our oceans and increase public
awareness of the earth's marine environment through
educational programs and outreach.  COARE seeks to
enlighten people, young and old, to the plight of the
oceans, to change the way they think and act, and to
encourage them to create positive and lasting change.
For more information about COARE, visit 
http://www.coare.org.

COARE, Shark Safe, and the Shark Safe logo are
trademarks of The Center for Oceanic Awareness,
Research, and Education, Inc.  All other company names
or marks mentioned herein are those of their respective
owners.


Media Contact:
Jennifer Bowyer, media@coare.org, +1-510-495-7875

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