This legislation will end the wasteful practice of shark finning, the act of slicing off a shark s fin and discarding the carcass in the ocean. I am pleased that the House is committed to stopping this barbarous act and urge the Senate to promptly take up this important legislation. For those unfamiliar with shark finning, it is the distasteful practice of removing of a shark's fins and discarding the carcass into the sea. As an avid sportsman, and as a member of the Congressional Sportsmen s Caucus, I find this practice horrific and wasteful, said Cunningham.
Sharks are among the most biologically vulnerable species in the ocean.
Their slow growth, late maturity, and small number of offspring leave them exceptionally vulnerable to overfishing and they are slow to recover from practices that contribute to their depletion. At the same time, sharks, as top predators, are essential to maintaining the balance of life in the sea, said Rep. Cunningham. It is important that we pass this legislation today and protect America s ocean wildlife from this terrible practice, added Cunningham.