AB 376: Cutting off the market for a cruel practice

Shockingly, California is one of the largest markets for shark fins outside of Asia and the largest importer of shark fins in the nation. Some reports estimate that 70 to 100 million sharks are killed each year solely for their fins, and some populations have declined by 99%. AB 376 (Fong, Huffman) will help to end the cruel practice of shark finning by prohibiting the sale, possession, or trade of shark fins in California. The success of AB 376 was due largely to the outpouring of support of a broad multi-cultural coalition of diverse groups and thousands of concerned individuals, as well as the tremendous leadership of the bill's two authors.