¿De qué se trata?
STOP FINNING – STOP THE TRADE es una Iniciativa Ciudadana Europea (ICE) respaldada por más de 100 asociaciones, numerosos socios y voluntarios y por 1.119.996 ciudadanos europeos que han presentado oficialmente su declaración de apoyo.
La normativa actual sobre «aletas naturalmente adheridas» estipula que las aletas no pueden separarse del cuerpo del tiburón antes de desembarcarlo. Esto significa que las aletas separadas del cuerpo pueden seguir comercializándose y exportándose. Para salvar esta laguna regulatoria, se necesita legislación comercial adicional que prohíba la exportación, la importación y el tránsito de aletas de tiburón.
¿Por qué es importante?
Sharks are essential for the marine ecosystem and climate protection!
Sharks ensure the health of the ocean-based tourism, fisheries and food security.
The oxygen in every second breath we take is produced by the oceans. The extinction of sharks would have a tremendous impact on the marine ecosystem, which in turn would negatively affect the climate and CO2 pollution in the atmosphere.
Protecting resilient biodiversity and ecosystems and ensuring the sustainability of our blue economy and fisheries sector are high priorities of the EU Green Deal.
Hunting sharks for their fins can only end with a trade ban for loose fins!
More than 100.000.000 sharks are killed every year, mainly for their fins.
167 shark species are threatened with extinction. The number of sharks in the high seas has declined by more than 70 % in the last 50 years.
The high market value of shark fins is the only reason to fish sharks at unsustainable rates and to continue the cruel practice of ‘finning’, whether it’s legal or not.
The EU is still part of the problem!
Currently, the Member States Spain, Portugal and France are among the Top 15 shark-fishing nations of the world and are often even subsidised by the EU.
Although the EU has conservation obligations under CITES and CMS, threatened/protected shark species are entering the market due to current inadequate legislation.
A legal market for shark fins creates a loophole for illegal fins, as origin and species are difficult to trace. Loose shark fins can only be identified with complex and expensive DNA tests