Article Summary:

New Europe reports that the European Commission has proposed to prohibit, with no exemptions, the practice of “shark finning” aboard EU registered fishing vessels. This closes a legislative loophole that previously allowed nations to apply for a permit to allowed them to land shark fins that are not attached to shark carcasses. Specifically, the Commission proposal provides that from now on, all vessels fishing in EU waters and all EU vessels fishing anywhere in the world will have to land sharks with the fins still attached.

The new proposal is still to be voted on by the European Council and Parliament before it becomes law.