Shark Conservation Act Passes House

The U.S. house took an important step in fighting the brutal practice of shark finning yesterday by passing the Shark Conservation Act of 2009. The bill closes some loopholes by making it illegal to remove the fin from a shark at sea. If fishermen want shark fins now they will have to land the whole shark, making the practice less economical and therefore less likely to happen. The bill is pending a vote in the Senate before it can be sent to the White House.

New England Aquarium researchers are involved in several projects relating to elasmobranch stress and bycatch. Preventing the needless deaths of the ocean's dwindling shark populations is essential for the health of ocean habitats.