- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,050
- 18,903
I wasn't aware that shark fins were popular in Japan. What a shame. 
China and Japan have blocked a US-led proposal to strengthen the ban on shark finning in the Atlantic Ocean, angering conservationists. The proposal, backed by the US, Belize, Brazil, the EU, and the UK, aimed to prohibit the practice of shark finning, which involves cutting off a shark's fins and discarding the live animal. Despite strong support from 42 of the 52 ICCAT member nations, China and Japan vetoed the measure.
www.politico.eu
China and Japan have blocked a US-led proposal to strengthen the ban on shark finning in the Atlantic Ocean, angering conservationists. The proposal, backed by the US, Belize, Brazil, the EU, and the UK, aimed to prohibit the practice of shark finning, which involves cutting off a shark's fins and discarding the live animal. Despite strong support from 42 of the 52 ICCAT member nations, China and Japan vetoed the measure.
But China and Japan, both among the world's biggest consumer markets and exporters of shark fin, refused to green-light the plan, which needed consensus to pass. Though Belize took the unusual step of calling a vote on the matter to bypass the requirement for unanimity Monday, at the end of the eight-day ICCAT meeting, the proposal was shelved. Sonja Fordham, president of Shark Advocates International who was present for the meeting, told POLITICO she was "deeply, deeply disappointed" the measure failed to pass despite support from an "unprecedented coalition of countries." "We are exasperated that a strong, enforceable shark finning ban has once again been blocked by essentially two countries, despite clear scientific advice and overwhelming support from governments and conservationists alike," Fordham added in a statement. She blamed "a lack of coordination" among the proposal's supporters for its failure, saying they seemed "caught off guard" when Belize called for a vote and did not push back against Japan's objections. "In 16 years, this was the biggest push [for reform] … and I'm just baffled that the proponents didn't defend their own proposal," said Fordham, who also hit out at the meeting's chair, former EU fisheries official Ernesto Penas Lado, for yielding to Japan and denying a vote.
Shark lobby slams China, Japan for vetoing US-led move to ban ‘finning’
Shark finning is banned in dozens of countries and decried by conservationists.