Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
MEPS VOTED TODAY to remove exceptions to the EU ban on shark finning – a practice which involves cutting off fins and dumping the carcasses at sea.
These exceptions required fishermen to keep carcases on board, but they made the ban difficult to enforce, as they allowed boats to land fins and bodies at different ports, making it difficult to match fin and carcass counts.
The ban, in place since 2003, prohibited removing shark fins on board vessels. Today’s vote removes the exceptions, which took the form of special permits to remove fins at sea.
From now on sharks must be landed with their fins “naturally attached”. The resolution was adopted with 566 votes in favour, 47 against and 16 abstentions.
The special permits suspended the ban so as to allow finning on those vessels “where a capacity to use all parts of sharks has been demonstrated”. However, after processing on board, fins and carcasses could be landed in different ports, making it difficult to match fin and carcass counts and hence to detect dumping.
Portugese MEP Maria do Céu Patrão Neves of the European People’s Party sought to retain the exceptions, whilst narrowing their scope, so as to allow only freezer-fishing vessels to fin sharks at sea and oblige them to land the fins and processed sharks’ bodies in the same port.
Commenting after the vote today, Socialist MEP Paul Murphy told TheJournal.ie that “the barbaric practice of finning has no place in modern fishing”.
“It involves removing the fins of sharks at sea and then throwing the rest of the shark back into the sea while the shark is still alive, resulting in a cruel and painful death,” he said.
“It is vital that the inhumane practice is ended and that fishing of sharks is regulated internationally to ensure the humane treatment of sharks and the protection of livelihoods and living standards for small fishermen and coastal communities worldwide,” he added.
Many shark species are vulnerable to overexploitation and it is estimated that 100 million sharks are killed for their fins annually.
In recent years, some shark stocks have been overfished and jeopardised due to a dramatic increase in demand for shark products, particularly fins. To date, the largest numbers of special permits have been issued by Spain and Portugal.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The sooner the banning of shark fin fishing is made law the better – stripping them of their fins and then tossing them back, still alive, to die a lingering death all for a bowl of soup is barbaric
China is the problem here , and there unbelievable appetite for everything on this planet.
Right, so the Parliament has baned this dreadful practice. Now what has to happen for their resolution to be made law?
Thanks for posting that Cholly, that’s Yongs off my list of places to eat
No bother, unfortunately my comment was removed!! I can’t see what’s wrong with telling people which restaurants to boycott if they sell shark fin soup. It’s a small thing an individual can do but has big consequences for the restaurant
Shame the restaurants selling this tasteless congealed mesas that rids the sea of its apical predator.
Wongs :)
Great to see moral obligation coming ahead of profit
Totally agree Mary!! Taking their fins is basically taking any chance of survival…..totally in humane, like throwing a boxer into the ring with no arms!! (not intended to be funny but depends on interpretation)
Scampi is a small shrimp, it’s not endangered or even over fished
This resolution allows the shark carcass & the fins being landed at separate ports – this is way beyond stupid. A loophole now exists that’s so compromised & wide open to being exploited, a complete idiot could walk rings around any authority charged with enforcing this if it ever became law. I fear this is merely EU smokescreening – to be seen to give a damn but prepared to quite happily look the other way for commercial / political reasons. It makes zero sense to include this clause. Liars each & every damn one of them.
Might want to read the article again Bryan, they are REMOVING the loophole of being able to land the fins and body at different ports.
Landed intact? Does that mean they’re dead already or am I missing the point.
seen this on a programme with a tv chef Ramsey and I was deeply deeply sicken and upset and annoyed over this practice unbelievable barbaric absoutly disgusting :@
Better include scampi, (tenderised shark meat) that’s every restaurant and fast food joint on the list !
scampi is made from langoustine I yhoiughht or Dublin bay prawns???
have your say