Florida Bans Shark Fin Trade

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Florida has become the 15th state across the US to ban the shark fin trade. The Kristin Jacobs Ocean Conservation Act was signed into law in Florida effectively ending the shark fin trade in the state. This will prevent the import, export, and sale of shark fins although a small loophole still remains allowing commercial sale of fins from a vessel holding a permit after January 2020. 

The bill was recently renamed the Kristin Jacobs Ocean Conservation Act after Florida Senator Kristin Jacobs who fought tirelessly for the ban on shark fins leading up to her untimely passing from cancer only a month before the bill was signed into legislature. This bill commemorates her hard work to help sharks and end an industry that is undeniably cruel and barbaric in nature. 

Shark fins are seen as a delicacy, mostly used for shark fin soup. The fins are forcibly removed from sharks and in most cases, the sharks are tossed back into the ocean unable to swim without their fins. They are left to either drown or be attacked and consumed by other predators. Both of these outcomes are incredibly painful and torturous. Our usage of shark fins is the perfect example of our entitlement as humans. Taking only a piece of a living creature and discarding the rest of it like trash. Elephant and rhino horns, trophy hunting, pangolin scales, big cat blood etc., we have given ourselves the right to take whatever we want from living creatures at their expense. It's obvious that we as humans have no regard for living creatures and our continued usage of animals in this manner is what is pushing hundreds of species further towards extinction.

Shark fins are wholly unnecessary and are rooted in cruelty. We are killing in upwards of 70 million sharks every year for their fins alone. That's 70 million innocent sharks that have their fins forcibly sliced off only to be drowned afterwards. All of this pain and suffering for some novelty product that is already banned in various places around the world. It's despicable how many novelty things we derive from animals that perpetuate a cycle of exploitation and violence. We can somehow justify the usage of fur or things like shark fins or elephant tusks without even batting an eye. At what point do we collectively agree that it's time to stop exploiting animals for our own selfishness? 

No one needs shark fins. No one needs fur. No one needs the tusks of an elephant. Wake the F up. We are acting so entitled and ignorant while 1000's of creatures every year are plunging further towards extinction. Humans are solely responsible for the perils our planet's animals face and unless we smarten up quickly, it's going to be too late to reverse the damage we have done.

Thank you Florida for standing up for sharks. It's a small step in the right direction that will hopefully lead to a full ban on shark fins. Let's do this!

HAPPY VEG