International Commission Bans Shark Finning In The Eastern Pacific

Late last week, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) adopted an international ban on shark finning in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The lucrative market for "shark fin soup" is the driving force behind finning - the practice of slicing off a shark's fin and dumping the rest of the body back into the ocean. The Shark Resolution, which also aims to improve information about sharks in IATTC fisheries, was co-sponsored by the United States, the European Union, Japan and Nicaragua and received vocal support from Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Mexico. The 15 IATTC Parties adopted the final Resolution, pertaining primarily to Eastern Pacific tuna fisheries, by consensus.