The bill would make it illegal to land or possess shark fins without the carcass in U.S. federal waters, which extend out 200 miles from American territories. The stringy tendrils from the dorsal, pectoral and lower tail fins of sharks are prized as the key ingredient of oriental shark-fin soup.
Most sharks are slow-growing and slow to reproduce.
When they do reproduce, they have a very small number of young. These characteristics make sharks susceptible to over-fishing. In 1993 the Commerce Department halted finning in Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico waters after it became apparent that the practice was affecting shark populations. But finning has continued in the western and central Pacific, particularly off Hawaii, where finning was less prevalent a decade ago and the effects on blue shark are disputed. Responding to environmental concerns about the impact of finning on shark populations, Thai Airways announced the removal of shark fin soup from its menu.