Maryland introduces bill to ban Shark Fins

SENATE OF MARYLAND

HOUSE BILL 393

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By: Delegates Luedtke, Arora, Barkley, Barve, Cardin, Carr, Clippinger, Cullison, Dumais, Feldman, Frick, Frush, Glenn, Gutierrez, Hixson, Hucker, A. Kelly, Lafferty, A. Miller, Mizeur, Niemann, Reznik, S. Robinson, Stein, Waldstreicher, Washington, and Zucker

Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2012
Assigned to: Environmental Matters

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning

Natural Resources – Shark or Elasmobranch Fins – Prohibition on Possession or Distribution

FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from possessing, selling, offering for sale, trading, or distributing a shark or other elasmobranch fin; establishing certain civil penalties for violations of this Act; requiring the Department of Natural Resources to adopt regulations to implement this Act; defining a certain term; and generally relating to a prohibition against the possession or distribution of  a shark or other elasmobranch fin.

BY adding to
Article – Natural Resources
Section 4–747
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2005 Replacement Volume and 2011 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article – Natural Resources
4–747.

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “SHARK FIN” MEANS THE RAW, DRIED, OR OTHERWISE PROCESSED DETACHED FIN OR TAIL OF A SHARK OR OTHER ELASMOBRANCH.

(B) A PERSON MAY NOT POSSESS, SELL, OFFER FOR SALE, TRADE, OR DISTRIBUTE A SHARK FIN.

(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CIVIL PENALTIES:

• (1) FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, A FINE OF AT LEAST $5,000 AND NOT EXCEEDING $15,000;
• (2) FOR A SECOND OFFENSE, A FINE OF AT LEAST $15,000 AND NOT EXCEEDING $35,000; OR
• (3) FOR A THIRD OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE, A FINE OF AT LEAST $35,000 AND NOT EXCEEDING $50,000.

(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT  THIS SECTION.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 1, 2012.

Source: The Maryland General Assembly