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Shark Conservation Act moving through Congress

NCMC: Please write to your senators

On July 8th, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the  Shark Conservation Act (H.R. 5741) to strengthen the U.S.  shark finning ban and encourage other countries to implement comparable  regulations or face U.S. sanctions.  Before reaching the House floor for a vote, the Subcommittee on  Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans amended the act to require the fins  to be naturally attached to any shark landed within the United States  and its territories. This is a major victory for sharks because  the fins-on requirement would not only help enforcement of the finning  ban, it would also assist in the identification of sharks, improving  our understanding of shark populations.  
 
Now the bill has moved on to the Senate and must be approved  by majority before it can be enacted. The Senate version of  the Shark Conservation Act (S. 3231) was introduced by Senator  John Kerry (D-MA) after the House vote, and the bill was then referred  to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.  We need your help to keep the momentum  going!  Please take a moment to write to your senators today. Visit  NCMC’s web site http://www.savethefish.org/action_items_shark_finning.htm>  for instructions on contacting your senators  and to view a sample letter.

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