Vegan Conservatives welcome the passing into law of the Shark Fins Act, which further strengthens existing legislation to support shark conservation, by banning the import and export of detached shark fins in the UK.
Shark finning has been illegal in Britain for two decades and the Shark Fins Act goes further to prevent the trade in fins.
Animal Welfare Minister Lord Benyon says, “Shark finning is an inexcusably cruel practice that has led to the suffering and death of countless sharks. The practice is rightly banned in UK waters, but trade has continued, with serious implications for the future of these magnificent creatures.
“That is why it is so important we ban the import and export of detached shark fins and I welcome the Shark Fins Act as an important step in our commitment to champion the conservation and sustainable management of sharks wherever they are fished.”
It is estimated that 73 million sharks are killed every year for shark-fin soup. The Conservative government is leading by example in banning the trade of shark fins in the UK.
