In November 2012, the Shark Alliance welcomed the European Parliament’s vote to close loopholes in the European Union ban on shark finning. After years of debate, 566 Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of a report endorsing the European Commission’s proposal to require that fins be left naturally attached to all sharks that are brought to port. Read more
In vista del voto al Parlamento Europeo sulla modifica del Regolamento sul finning, chiediamo a tutti gli Europarlamentari italiani di sostenere il divieto di rimozione delle pinne degli squali in mare, senza alcuna eccezione.
In November 2011 The Shark Alliance welcomed the proposal from the European Commission for closing the loopholes in the European Union’s ban on shark finning, the wasteful practice of slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body at sea. Continue Reading →
In 2010-11 The European Commission carried out a public consultation on options to amend the existing EU Finning Regulation Continue Reading →
Four Members of the European Parliament (MEPs): Jean-Paul Besset, Chris Davies, Sirpa Pietikäinen, and Daciana Octavia Sârbu, from the ALDE, EPP-DE, Greens-EFA and S&D groups launched a Written Declaration on shark finning on 20 September 2010. The Declaration asked the European Commission to deliver a proposal to ban at-sea fin removal.
The UK is a strong supporter of closing the loopholes in the EU ban on shark finning. On 8th August UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon MP demonstrated this support by diving into the shark tank at Sealife London Aquarium.
Continue Reading →
European Shark Week, from the 15th to 23rd October 2011, proved to be one of the most successful shark weeks to date. Continue Reading →
In 2011, 165,000 people signed a petition in support of our call on fisheries ministers to fulfill the commitments of the Shark Plan and support the proposal to close the loopholes in the EU finning regulation.
Kay Swinburne, MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, [UK] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Sirpa Pietikainen, MEP from the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats, [Finland] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Karin Kadenbach MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, [Austria] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Jim Higgins, MEP from the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) [Ireland] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Mikael Gustafsson MEP from the Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left Group, [Sweden] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Catherine Bearder MEP from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Member Group, [UK] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
In a letter to Martin Schultz, MEP and President of the European Parliament; the American Elasmobranch Society added their support to the European Commission’s proposal to strengthen the EU ban on shark finning by prohibiting all removal of shark fins on-board fishing vessels.
Alors que plus de 80% des espèces de requins a été décimées ces 10 dernières années, l’Europe se pose encore la question de les protéger…
L’association ASPAS se mobilise aux côtés de Shark Alliance pour que la nouvelle réglementation européenne décide enfin d’interdire le finning.
Robert Calcagno, Directeur général de l’Institut océanographique de Monaco from Shark Alliance on Vimeo.
“Si les requins venaient à disparaître, l’équilibre des océans en serait gravement affecté. Or, la bonne santé de nos océans est indispensable à l’avenir de l’Humanité. Protégeons-nous, protégeons les requins !”
‘Des Requins et des Hommes’; Action Research for Elasmobranch Conservation and Integrated Management between Stakeholders.
“DRDH fully support the reinforcement of the EU regulation prohibiting finning in Europe.”
“DRDH ne veut plus aucune exception au débarquement des requins avec leurs ailerons attachés.”
Il Ministro delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali – Mario Catania – ha ricevuto il libro fotografico della Settimana europea della Squalo con le foto degli eventi organizzati dai membri di Shark Alliance e le firme raccolte in Italia. Il Ministro Catania ha espresso il suo pieno supporto al rafforzamento del divieto europeo sul finning, richiedendo che tutti gli squali vengano sbarcati con le pinne naturalmente attaccate al corpo.
More than 19,000 compassionate EU citizens across the 27 Member States joined with Humane Society International in asking MEPs to increase protection for sharks by voting for a fins naturally attached without exception policy. The messages are being delivered to MEPs this week as HSI continues to meet with MEPs and encourage them to have their photograph taken with a large “Protect Sharks” banner, as in the photo above.
Image: Sabine LÖSING MEP from the Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left Member [Germany]
Since 1996 Pascal Kobeh has been working as a professional photograph, shooting underwater and terrestrial wildlife. Over the years, he has won numerous awards and published several books. For five years he was the head of photography on the J. Perrin and J. Cluzaud’s movie ‘Oceans’, shooting all over the world, in the seven seas and oceans.
Pascal is a friend of TENDUA and he is joining us to “MAKE THE PUSH!” in favour of shark protection.
The fisheries ministers of the UK, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland joined Shark Alliance member group, the Shark Trust, in writing to all UK MEPs urging them to support the commission’s proposal for ‘fins naturally attached’ with no exceptions.
Keith Taylor and Jean Lambert MEPs from the Greens/European Free Alliance Group, [UK] showing their support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Charles Tannock MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, [UK] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Sabine Wils MEP from the Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green LeftMember group, [Germany] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Richard Seeber MEP from the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) group, [Austria] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Pavel Poc MEP from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Group, [Czech Republic] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Emma McClarkin MEP from the Group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, [UK] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Timothy Kirkhope MEP from the Group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, [UK] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Karl-Heinz Florenz MEP from the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) group, [Germany] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Jo Leinen, MEP from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament group, [Germany] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Jill Evans, MEP from the Greens/European Free Alliance group, [UK] showing her support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Ian Hudghton, MEP from the Greens/European Free Alliance group, [UK] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Ashley Fox, MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, [UK] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
David Martin, MEP from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament group, [UK] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Carl Schlyter, MEP from the Greens/European Free Alliance group, [Sweden] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Chris Davies, MEP from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, [UK] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Kriton Arsenis, MEP from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament group, [Greece] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
Andrea Zanoni, MEP from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, [Italy] showing his support with HSI for ‘fins attached’.
“No one knows what will happen if sharks are eradicated, but two things are absolutely certain. One, the way things are going at the moment they will be eradicated and two, the effects will be absolutely profound.
It’s a pivotal moment in the history of this animal and in our history in terms of trying to protect it. Action needs to take place now. Future generations will look back on our generation and say ‘how could they let this happen? How could they let this animal be wiped out from the oceans?’ Action is required right now to save one of the most magnificent animals in the sea.”
“With such poor enforcement on the high seas, it’s essential that anyone breaching the regulation can be easily identified. Fins Naturally Attached is the simplest route to an effective shark finning ban.”
“To maintain the balance of the marine environment, we need to strive towards sustainable management supporting Fins Naturally Attached is a crucial step to achieve this goal.”
“If we tighten up the regulations we can say that fins can only be taken when the shark is landed complete. It still sounds pretty brutal if we’re fishing sharks but we can manage the numbers and have proper quotas. At the moment with the lax laws, people can unbelievably still cut a fin off a shark and let it die at sea and you can’t control the numbers. So we absolutely have to do everything we can to support Fins Naturally Attached.”
On Wednesday 17th October MEP Alyn Smith, an SNP member of the European Parliament showed his support for strengthening the EU finning ban by diving with sharks at Deep Sea World aquarium in North Queensferry.
Continue Reading →
Les requins et leurs amis de l’aquarium de Lyon dans le même bain pour sauver leurs congénères de massacres inutiles.
“Toute l’équipe de l’aquarium de Lyon veut que la nouvelle réglementation européenne sur le finning exige de débarquer les requins en entier”
In September 2012, Government representatives from 50 countries gathered for the first meeting of signatories to the UN Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks. Participants adopted a new conservation plan suggesting that sharks should be landed with their fins still attached in order to prevent shark finning. Read More Here
L’association TENDUA, membre de SHARK ALLIANCE, se mobilise pour changer la législation européenne sur le finning, encore trop laxiste à ce jour.
Les eurodéputés EELV se mobilisent contre la découpe des ailerons de requin. “Il faut arrêter ce massacre et protéger notre biodiversité.”
Patrice Héraud, photographer, author of the book ‘Le Grand requin blanc, du mythe à la réalité’ and President of SOS Grand Blanc.
“L’homme et le requin peuvent parfaitement cohabiter avec un minimum d’éducation et de prévention. Mais à la condition de leur en laisser le temps.”
“Keeping the fins attached to the animal also greatly enhances opportunities for observers and scientists to collect species-specific data on shark catches. Such information is vital to shark population assessment and management.”
Enric Sala, Ph.D., Explorer in Residence, National Geographic Society, letter to the European Commission, February 2011.
Esther de Lange MEP EPP joined Dutch angelrs and NGO’s on a
shark tagging trip calling for support for the conservation of sharks.
Judith Merkies MEP receiving results form ESW2009 and a petition calling for MEPs to sign the written declaration, from Shark Alliance Policy and Outreach coordinator Netherlands, Irene Kingman and EU Coordinator for the Shark Alliance, Martin Clark.
Gerban Jan Gerbrandy MEP receiving results form ESW2009 and a petition calling for MEPs to sign the written declaration, from Shark Alliance Policy and Outreach coordinator Netherlands, Irene Kingman and EU Coordinator for the Shark Alliance, Martin Clark.
Gerben Jan Gerbrandy MEP: ”MEPs have a key role to play in the protection of these magnificent animals. I hope all MEPs listen to the majority of European voters and support Fins Naturally Attached.”
Joint letter signed by 16 Italian NGOs sent on September 17th and addressed to Italian MEPs Antinoro, Rivellini and Milana, members of the Fishery Committee with the aim to ensure their support to strengthen the EU finning ban and to support the Commission’s Proposal.
“Prohibiting fishermen from removing shark fins at sea is widely acknowledged as the easiest, most reliable way of preventing shark finning. It is high time the EU joined the US in using this best practice and promoting it worldwide.”
“Landing sharks with naturally-attached fins is not only the best way to ensure effective enforcement of the finning ban but also improves species-specific data collection, critical for population assessment and effective management of sharks.”
“Sharks are being overfished around the world. At the present time, when we all know that they are highly threatened, it is illogical to permit fishing practices that increases their risk of extinction. And finning is maybe the perfect example of how man wastes the resources. Then, the EU should implement “fins naturally attached” policy as a basic step towards sustainable fisheries of sharks.”
The ZSL Marine and Freshwater staff support the vote for fins naturally attached legislation.
“Una de las experiencias mas excitantes de mi vida ha sido bucear con estos majestuosos e increíbles animales.”
“One of the most exciting experience of my life was to dive with those majestic and incredible animals.”
Anglers, conservationists and politicians attended a special shark tag and release trip to support scientific research. Continue Reading →
“Prohibit on-board removal of shark fins as proposed by the Commission and reject the Rapporteur’s amendments to widen the loopholes in the finning ban” Continue Reading →
“More and more nations around the world are using successfully the “fins naturally attached” approach in their fisheries, which is widely accepted as the best practice for enforcing finning bans. It would be a disgrace if the EU fails to set this standard for its own waters and fleets”. Continue Reading →
“The currently lenient finning ban allows fishermen to fin sharks undetected and unpunished. The Commission has proposed the best and least costly way of ensuring that finning is banned. But rapporteur Neves’ report and amendments would widen instead of tightening the loopholes in the finning ban, which is unacceptable. The Fisheries Committee should join the Council in approving a fins naturally attached policy.” Continue Reading →
Twelve French Green MEPs joined the Shark Alliance in supporting a fins-naturally-attached policy: François Alfonsi, Yannick Jadot, Yves Cochet, Malika Benarab-Attou, Hélène Flautre, Catherine Grèze, Sandrine Bélier, José Bové, Karima Delli, Michèle Rivasi, Jean-Jacob Bicep and Nicole Kill-Nielsen.
Pour que la protection des requins rayonne dans tous les océans, Ludovic Hoarau et Stéphanie Sorby de l’île de la Réunion, et membre de l’association Diony-Bulles, soutiennent le renforcement de la réglementation sur le finning en Europe.
French MEP Eva Joly joined Nicole Aussedat of the Shark Alliance to make the push for sharks. Eva Joly is a member of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance.
“Massacrer les requins pour faire un potage de leurs ailerons est aussi stupide que de préparer une soupe à base de rognures d’ongles. Gandhi avait raison en indiquant que l’on reconnaissait la grandeur d’une nation à la manière dont les animaux y étaient traités.”
“Il est symptomatique de voir qu’à l’heure où le gouvernement chinois interdit la consommation d’ailerons de requins dans les banquets officiels, l’Europe peine à adopter un règlement aussi élémentaire et indispensable pour la sauvegarde des requins que celui proposé par la Commission européenne. Que certains élus européens défendent des intérêts privés au point de bloquer la construction du monde désiré par les citoyens et impérativement dicté par la crise écologique est à la fois irresponsable et indigne de leur mandat politique.” Continue Reading →
Twenty-five of the 27 Member States of the European Union apart from Spain and Portugal are in support of prohibiting on-board shark fin removal. Most U.S. and Central American fisheries operate under a fins-attached policy. Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela require that fins remain attached through landing while Taiwan is in the process of phasing in a recent fins-attached rule.
Each United Nations General Assembly Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries since 2003 has urged States to ban shark finning. Continue Reading →
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), founded in 1948, is the largest professional global conservation network with more than 200 government and 900 non-government member organizations. Continue Reading →
“After decades of abusive and unsustainable fishing of sharks globally, it is simply unthinkable that an institution such as the European Union could abstain from implementing with extreme urgency the most basic of measures such as the one which will be voted on 19 September this year. As an European citizen I would be ashamed of anything short of full acceptance of the rule of landing sharks with fins attached, given that I would greatly prefer that sharks were not fished at all. Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara”
As the country holding the EU Presidency in the first half of 2012, Denmark played a key role in facilitating some of the final stages in the long process to strengthen the EU ban on shark finning. Continue Reading →
“We have scientific evidence about the loss of shark populations worldwide due the overfishing. Shark population loss becomes exponentially more dramatic when the practice of finning occurs. Keeping ineffective legislation is irresponsible and harmful and we have to push for a “fins naturally attached” policy, with no exceptions, to assure that finning is not happening in the EU. ” Continue Reading →
“Sharks are an important part of marine ecosystems. There should be legislation for their protection. We have to make a push for a policy requiring landing sharks with “fins naturally attached” in order to assure that finning is not happening in the EU”
“The European Elasmobranch Association (EEA) supports the “fins naturally attach” policy, as proposed by the EU Commission, as the most effective way of ensuring finning bans. The EEA calls on MEPs to vote in favour of this important proposal.” Continue Reading →
Leading international NGOs joined the Shark Alliance in a joint statement supporting ‘fins attached’, as part of the consultation on the EU finning ban.
Continue Reading →
Following research in the port of Vigo, Spain, where the Spanish longline fleet land sharks, Julia co-authored the paper ‘Blue shark Prionace glauca fin-to-carcass-mass ratios in Spain and implications for finning ban enforcement’
Continue Reading →
France ranks second among EU Member States for shark and ray catches. France does not issue the special permits that allow EU fishermen to remove shark fins at sea under the current EU finning regulation. French fishermen are therefore already required to land sharks with their fins still attached. Continue Reading →
Dutch endurance driver Oskar Slingerland showed his support for shark conservation by placing the Shark Alliance logo on the No. 64 Lotus Evora GTE in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. The car participated in races in Europe, the USA and China.
The Shark Alliance is a coalition of more than 130 conservation, scientific, and recreational organisations dedicated to restoring and conserving shark populations by improving shark conservation policies. Continue Reading →
We are making the final PUSH to Protect Europe’s Sharks. Continue Reading →
“I support the EU Commission’s proposal without any further compromises. To finally end finning, [fishermen] should only be allowed to land sharks with their fins naturally attached” Continue Reading →
World-famous climber Edurne Pasaban joined the Shark Alliance at Aquarium of San Sebastián to make the push.
“Join me in making the push for sharks this fall. Together, we can close the loophole in the EU finning ban. In doing so, we will take a critical step towards ending finning – the unacceptable practice of cutting off sharks fins and discarding the rest of the shark at sea”.
“If sharks don’t rule the oceans, there won’t be oceans left to rule.”
“Finning will ultimately finish off the shark”
“I make the push to protect Europe’s Sharks and support a strong, enforceable EU shark finning ban. I had to leave EU waters in order to take this shark photograph. I urge MEPs to vote to adopt the “fins naturally attached with no exceptions” policy.” Continue Reading →
“The awareness of Shark Finning is as equally as important for ourselves as it is for the sharks. Continue Reading →
“Europe has one of the largest shark fishing fleets in the world and is hugely influential. It should have the most robust finning ban in place. We support a stronger EU finning ban.” Continue Reading →
Dr Shelley Clarke, a fisheries scientist based in Japan, received her doctorate in quantitative fisheries science from Imperial College London in 2003 for her ground-breaking study of the shark fin trade. She spoke to the Shark Alliance about her work and why ‘fins- naturally-attached’ is the best way to implement a finning ban. Continue Reading →
In 2010, four MEPs from the ALDE, EPP-DE, Greens-EFA and S&D groups of the European Parliament- Chris Davies from the UK, Sirpa Pietikäinen from Finland, Daciana Octavia Sârbu from Romania, and Jean-Paul Besset from France – launched a “Written Declaration” Continue Reading →
”After six years of debate on strengthening the finning ban we must come to close with the best practice for enforcing finning bans: fins naturally attached with no exceptions. Rapporteur Neves’ proposal to widen the loophole will set a poorer standard than before and the most lenient in the world.”
In March 2012, the Council of Fisheries Ministers adopted a position in favour of the European Commission’s proposal to strengthen the EU finning ban by requiring that all sharks be landed with their ‘fins naturally attached’. Only Spain and Portugal opposed this move. Continue Reading →
As the European Parliament debates the European Commission’s proposal to amend the EU regulation that bans shark “finning” (slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body at sea), many are looking to scientists and other experts for advice.
On 8th August 2012 Julie Girling MEP for South West and Gibraltar demonstrated her support for closing the loopholes in the EU ban on shark ‘finning’ by diving into the shark tank at Sealife London Aquarium. She was accompanied by UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon.
“At a time when one third of European sharks are threatened with extinction, it is disappointing that EU policy introduced to protect sharks still allows for many endangered sharks to remain completely unprotected. Sharks play a very important role in our oceans and I will continue to lobby policy makers to ensure that EU laws support the conservations of our vulnerable shark species.” Continue Reading →
Ilse Aigner, German Minister for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection said:
“An important step for shark protection is to accomplish a complete ban on finning, with no ifs or buts, as proposed by the European Commission. The removal of sharks fins on board vessels needs to be completely prohibited.”
In April 2011, the European Parliament Environment Committee overwhelmingly voted to adopt a draft Opinion Report, prepared by Italian MEP, Andrea Zanoni, supporting the Commission’s proposal. Fifty members of the committee voted in favour with only two against. Continue Reading →
In February 2012, Mr. Andrea Zanoni, an Italian Member of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, introduced a draft report that reinforced the Commission’s proposal to end all shark fin removal on board vessels by requiring that sharks be landed with their fins still naturally attached.
The UK-based Shark Trust has been at the forefront of the fight to ban shark finning for the last 15 years. Director of Conservation Ali Hood explains the need for a tighter EU Shark Finning Regulation. Continue Reading →
