Taiwan to ban Shark Finning from next year

Taiwan announces plans to regulate Shark Fishery

The Taiwanese Fisheries Agency said Oct. 19 that it will tightly regulate shark fishing starting next year. In the future, the agency said, it will be illegal for fishermen to collect only shark fins while dumping the rest of their bodies back into the ocean. Violators caught with only shark fins on their vessels will be subject to heavy fines. The measure is in response to accusations by the Pew Environment Group, an international shark protection organization, which listed Taiwan as having the fourth largest number of shark catches in the world. Overfishing of sharks has driven some of them to the brink of extinction and is destroying the ocean’s ecosystem, PEG said. Shark fins are considered a delicacy by many Chinese, while the rest of their body is not; thus to carry as many shark fins as possible, many fishermen haul in only the fins. The new measure will result in fewer sharks being captured, according to the agency.

Note: Please see the related video Pew Oct 2011 Taiwan Shark Fishery Images Underline Global Threat

and the previous post 10 July 2011 Taiwan fishermen to be asked to bring in sharks intact

Source: Taiwan Today