While researching for this week's review, I found resources at Oceana.org, a non-profit international organization that strives to help protect the ocean and its creatures. On its blog, I found this piece, following a Fort Lauderdale event:
On a more serious note, the evening focused on sharksReaders expressed dismay following a shark fin soup debacle at Silver Pond, in which I reported guilt over eating a dish that's harvested at such a high cost. To harvest fins, ships trolling Central and South America, Taiwan,and the need for Floridians to fight for their protection. Legislation
in Florida to stop the shark fin trade has stalled, putting a kink in
Oceana's efforts to stop the practice of shark finning and the trade of
fins, which still legally feeds the high demand in many states.
Indonesia, or Spain catch sharks, slice off fins and toss bodies back --
to the tune of 73 million a year.
"It is time Florida joined the Pacific movement to protect sharks form
finning by stopping the trade," wrote Dave McGuire in the comments, a member of Sea Stewards.
While Florida briefly considered joining California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii in banning the sale of shark fins in this state,
from the legislative agenda by the senate last month, confirms Beth
Lowell, Oceana's Campaign Director. Florida joined New York, Maryland,
and Illinois in considering a ban. The remaining states still have bills in
consideration.
Shark finning elicits such strong emotions that many around the country expressed outrage last month, when President Obama visited a dim sum place
that still serves shark fin soup during a swing through San Francisco.
It was careless, many expressed, since he was the one who signed the
Shark Conservation Act into law last January. Not to mention, the
restaurant, according to Jonathan Kaufmann of SF Weekly, is nothing to write home about. Shark fins can be sold at restaurants in California until July of 2013.
Oceana also offers education about a range of issues affecting waters closer to home. Read my findings in part one: last week's column or part two that can be found here.
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