New law: European Commission against animal cruelty towards sharks

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The Brussels government responded to the demands of the citizens’ initiative “Stop finning – Stop the trade”, which aims to end the trade in shark fins from Europe.

More than a million EU citizens support the initiative, according to information, most of the supporters – more than 475,000 – come from Germany. One of them is singer Udo Lindenberg (77). The fact that the initiative is supported by so many citizens is a clear signal, according to the European Commission.

In so-called finning, the sharks’ fins are cut off, so that the animals are often still alive. The rest of the body is then thrown back into the sea. “In this mutilation, the animals are usually fully conscious and unable to swim. They sink to the sea floor, where they bleed to death or suffocate,” the citizens’ initiative’s website states.

Finning has been banned in the EU since 2003. Thus, the fins cannot be removed from the shark’s body before landing. From the point of view of the citizens’ initiative, additional legislation is needed to prohibit trade. According to the initiative, 45 percent of fins imported into Asia come from the EU.

The European Commission now wants to ensure that traceability measures are better enforced throughout the value chain. These include controlling fishing at sea and preventing illegal trade. In addition, the EU wants to advocate a global ban on finning.

(SDA)

Source: Blick