Update (October, 2014): This bill failed to pass before the session ended.
Bill Description:
SB 340 bans the sale and trade of shark fins, with exceptions for FDA-approved drugs, taxidermy, and fins possessed prior to Sept. 2, 2012. Pennsylvania residents would also still be allowed to posses shark fins obtained legally out of state.
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Background:
Shark finning is the gruesome practice of cutting a shark’s fins while it is still alive. The shark is then tossed back into the water to slowly bleed to death or drown. One cannot effectively protect sharks without eliminating the market for shark fins. As a keystone species, sharks play a significant role in the ocean ecosystem. Because they reach sexual maturity late in life and typically birth small litters, sharks are particularly susceptible to overfishing. This bill is an important step forward for the protection of sharks and the ocean ecosystem.