IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 285 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 

should ban and prevent the import of shark fins from sharks caught 

through the practice of finning, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 28, 2013 

Mr. BUCHANAN (for himself, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. FARR, Mr. GRIMM, Mrs. 

CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. NADLER, Mr. HASTINGS of 

Florida, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr. MURPHY of Florida, 

Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. MORAN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. TITUS, Mr. 

DEFAZIO, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of 

California, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. 

BROWNLEY of California, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Ms. BORDALLO, and Ms. MENG) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 

addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the United States should ban and prevent the import 

of shark fins from sharks caught through the practice 

of finning, and for other purposes. 

Whereas sharks are a vital part of a healthy ocean ecosystem; 

Whereas as top of the food chain predators, sharks help 

maintain the balance of marine life in the oceans; 


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•HRES 285 IH 

Whereas if shark populations continue to decline at the current rates, there will be significant and unpredictable 

consequences for fish populations, ocean habitats, and 

the overall health of the ocean; 

Whereas sharks are slow-growing, mature later in life, and 

produce few young, and thus are highly susceptible to 

overfishing that is severely depleting global shark populations; 

Whereas approximately 26,000,000 to 73,000,000 sharks are 

killed globally each year, and this is contributing to the 

decline of shark populations around the world and impacting the health of the ocean; 

Whereas shark finning, in which sharks are captured, their 

fins cut off, and their bodies thrown back into the sea, 

is a wasteful practice that is contributing to the devastation of shark populations worldwide; 

Whereas United States fishermen are held to a higher standard and are not operating on a level playing field with 

foreign, unregulated shark fisheries that are still engaging in shark finning; 

Whereas many fisheries around the world are catching sharks 

without limits; 

Whereas the International Union for Conservation of Nature 

(IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species estimates that 

over 30 percent of pelagic (open ocean) sharks are 

threatened with extinction; and 

Whereas several States and United States territories have 

recognized the global decline of shark populations and 

have taken actions to improve conservation of sharks, including restrictions on the sale of and trade in shark fins: 

Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 285 IH 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) it is the sense of the House of Representa3 tives that the United States should ban and prevent 

4 the importation of shark fins from sharks caught 

5 through the practice of finning; and 

6 (2) the House of Representatives— 

7 (A) recognizes the threat shark finning 

8 poses to sharks; and 

9 (B) condemns the practice worldwide. 

Æ 


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