China’s shark finning could lead to US seafood sanctions
Summary
China’s fishing fleets are accused of cutting off fins from sharks and discarding the animals, which causes painful deaths and threatens shark populations. A U.S. environmental group has asked the government to consider sanctions on China for not meeting U.S. shark protection rules, which could lead President Trump to ban $1.5 billion of Chinese seafood imports.Key Facts
- Shark populations have dropped more than 70% since 1970, with many species at risk of extinction.
- Chinese fishing vessels catch, fin, and discard thousands of sharks annually.
- Shark finning is illegal in the U.S. and over 90 other places, requiring sharks to be brought to shore with fins naturally attached.
- China allows sharks to be finned up to a limit of about 5% of their body weight, which critics say is hard to enforce and ineffective.
- The practice mainly serves the demand for shark fin soup and traditional medicine in parts of Asia.
- The Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition asking the U.S. government to act under the Moratorium Protection Act.
- If China is found in violation, President Trump could ban all $1.5 billion of seafood imports from China.
- China says it follows international laws and conservation efforts but did not fully respond to the petition’s specific claims.
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