Hawai'i Legislators Make Pioneer Move to Protect Sharks

LOS ANGELES, April 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On April 6th, 2010, the Hawai'i House passed measure SB 2169, prohibiting the distribution, sale, and possession of shark fins in the State of Hawai'i. Measure SB 2169 is a victory for the protection of sharks and an important step toward ocean conservation. If/when SB 2169 becomes effective Hawai'i will be the first state in the union to ban the sale of shark fins.

Currently, shark finning, the cutting off of a shark's fins and discarding the body at sea, is banned in U.S. waters; however, the sale of shark fins is legal. Finning kills over 70 million sharks annually, threatening the survival of these important predators. Shark fins are primarily consumed in shark fin soup, a dish traditionally served at Asian banquets and weddings and erroneously thought to have health benefits. As top predators, sharks prevent explosions of fish populations and removing sharks from the oceanic ecosystem may have dramatic ecological impacts.

Iemanya Oceanica, a Southern California based shark conservation group is delighted about Hawai'i's foresight. "We hope that lawmakers around the world will institute similar protections for sharks and we want to congratulate Hawai'i's representatives for their groundbreaking decision to get behind this measure," said Iemanya's President, Laleh Mohajerani.

The bill has passed from the house and into "Conference" next week, and will be subjected to additional discussion and amendments. Stefanie Brendl of the Humane Society who has been rallying support for this bill says, "This bill is not only important for Hawai'i but for the whole nation, if not for the world.  It will set a precedent and will send a very strong message about ocean conservation." Brendl will be working with Senator Hee, who introduced the Bill, and Representative McKelvey, a supporter of the Bill, on the exact final language.  SB 2169 will then move on to a Senate vote.

In 2010 Iemanya Oceanica will be collaborating with other conservation groups on a nation-wide campaign in the U.S. to prohibit the sale and possession of shark fins in all 50 states, and Mohajerani added, "We are all eagerly watching Hawai'i's progress in this extraordinary move towards shark conservation and support the Hawai'ian legislators push to protect our oceans from being depleted."

For more information, contact Iemanya Oceanica at (310) 801-9478 or visit www.Iemanya.org.

SOURCE Iemanya Oceanica