Introduced by House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente, H.B. 17-94 imposes a fine from $15,000 to $50,000 on those caught selling or distributing shark fins.
H.B. 17-94 will make it unlawful for any person to posses, sell, offer for sale, trade or distribute shark fins in the CNMI.
But restaurants that have sharks fin already prepared for customers upon the enactment of the law may sell them for a period of 90 days after the enactment of the law.
Benavente, during yesterday’s deliberations, explained that the bill does not exactly prohibit killing of the shark.
A fisherman for example may kill a shark if it becomes a threat to his life.
He said the legislation simply prohibits the commercial use of shark fins.
People worldwide, dive instructor Harry Blalock said in an interview, are advocating the protection of sharks.
A lot of countries, he said, have realized now how important sharks are in the eco-system.
Palau, Hawaii and the entire U.S., he added, protect sharks fins.
If sharks are not protected in this part of the Pacific there will be people coming in to go after sharks fin, he said.
“So it’s important that we protect them now. And we take these steps before we can be the target,” said Blalock who attended yesterday’s session.
Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan supports the bill.
Banning sharksfin sale, he said, is important to save the shark population in the waters surrounding the CNMI.
These sharks, he said, also contribute a lot to eco-tourism efforts.
In Palau, which has declared itself a “shark sanctuary,” Sablan said young tourists from Japan actually swim with sharks.
This kind of experience, Sablan said. will surely make tourists come back.
In shark finning, the shark is caught, the fin is cut off and the shark is returned to the water.
This practice causes tens of millions of sharks to die a slow death each year, according to a report of the House Committee on Natural Resources, which endorsed the passage of the bill.
Unlike other marine animals, most sharks do not reach sexual maturity until seven to 12 years, the report added. Sharks cannot rebuild their populations quickly once they are “overfished,” the report said.
