AFTER years of lobbying by conservation groups, the NZ Government has announced a formal review of laws allowing the inhumane practice of shark finning at sea.
Shark fins are an expensive delicacy popular in many Asian cultures but some restaurants in Australia have already dropped it from their menu. The practice of “live finning”, the cause of many shark deaths around the world, is illegal in Australia.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society and Greenpeace are among those who have teamed up for the Fin Free Cities campaign.
The manager at SEA LIFE Conservation Fund, Claudette Rechtorik, says Australia was actively involved in the shark fin trade.
“We do export a significant amount of shark fin, we also import shark fin, we import it from New Zealand and they still take part in live finning,” she said.
“In Australia we have a policy where we actually have to land the entire shark carcass, so [that means] the fin attached to the body,” Ms Rechtorik said.
Some US states have banned the trade and possession of shark fin and the alliance wants to build support for a similar ban in Australia.
To sign a petition to ban shark finning in New Zealand click HERE.
