Thank you for contacting our office regarding the proposed ban on shark fins in the State of California. In reading the many emails our office has received regarding this matter, the Senator felt that his remarks needed further clarification as some news outlets did not reflect the full scope of his arguments. Below is a letter the Senator wrote covering his views on the practice of shark finning and the best way to regulate it effectively.
“I wanted to write to you personally to make sure you understood my full position on the recent proposal to ban shark fin soup in California.
I am extremely concerned about the plight of sharks and the ecological impact to the oceans caused by the depletion of certain species. I am a strong supporter of the 2000 federal law, recently strengthened by President Obama, against shark “finning.” It’s a horrendous and cruel practice.
The seriousness with which I take environmental issues is evidenced by the 100% rating I recently received from Clean Water Action, the California League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club – one of only two Senators in California to receive this distinction.
That’s why, while I oppose a complete ban on shark fin soup, I strongly support efforts to protect endangered sharks and stop the practice of shark finning.
I believe we can both protect sharks and preserve the 1,800-year cultural heritage of shark fin soup through the following actions:
* A complete ban on any importation of shark fin to California that does not comply with the federal law against shark “finning” and a ban on the use of shark fins from endangered species of sharks;
* Adoption by California of the federal prohibition against shark “finning;”
* Imposition of strict penalties for breaking these laws;
* Use of such resources collected through penalties for regulation and education about sharks and ocean ecology.
While I do feel that we should find a way to protect a cultural staple, I made a mistake by indiscriminately labeling those who support the ban as “culturally insensitive.” That is neither accurate nor constructive, and I deeply regret offending those who were hurt by my comments.
Those who have labeled my position as one of disregard for the environment and the plight of sharks are making a similar mistake.
My commitment is to seek common ground and pass meaningful legislation that protects endangered species and our oceans.”
The Senator ended by asking people to email him if they had any further questions, and I will extend the same offer. While the vast majority of people writing in on this matter have done so, I would ask that you try to keep the tone of this discussion civil and respectful as I honestly don’t believe that our stances are as far apart as they have been made to seem. I look forward to hearing from you and hope that the Senator’s answer addresses your concerns.
Many thanks to you and the Senator for taking the time to reply.
I accept and applaud the Senator's record on environmental issues. However I cannot help but feel that he is being politically cynical on this issue. His current stance is flawed in two areas:
1. There is currently no method nor desire in the shark fishing industry to land a sustainable catch. In it's very essence, the industry is not sustainable. Fisheries conservation is a complicated business, but the length of time that sharks take to reach reproductive maturity makes them far more vulnerable to over-fishing than any other fish species.
To state that policy would be to only use fins from sustainable sharks or to ban the use of fins from endangered shark species is disingenuous at best. There are no "sustainable" shark populations, and the monitoring of which fin comes from which type of shark is impossible in practice.
2. The long cultural tradition of shark fin soup dates from an era when it was a scarce and unique foodstuff. As such it was sustainable as the numbers of shark caught were tiny. Now however, we have commercial fishing methods supplying a vast demand. This demand is in itself the problem. Shark fin is no longer scarce nor unique!
Whilst I support the theory that all cultures should be free to maintain traditions, this cannot be at the expense of a global environmental catastrophe. If we continue to decimate the apex predator of a complex ecosystem, that is what we as a human race will face, directly due to a culture's "right" to it's tradition. History serves us with many examples of when cultures haven't acted to correct or modify traditions that have become out-moded in a modern world.
I urge Senator Yee to reconsider his position. He holds the power to influence not only the law, but also attitudes towards this destructive and wasteful trade. In California, there is a unique opportunity to show that it's legislators value principle over political expediency. History is littered with examples of expedient politicians, but those who show strength of principle are the ones that achieve lasting legacies.
I'd like to once again thank you and the Senator for your responses, and would ask you to please please pass my above comments on to him.
