Loopholes not widened, but not yet closed as decision moves to Plenary
The European Parliament Fisheries Committee voted today on a suite of amendments in response to a European Commission proposal to strengthen the EU ban on shark “finning” (removing a shark's fins and discarding the body at sea). Attempts to widen loopholes in the finning regulation were defeated, however parliamentarians voted for the provision of exceptions to the complete ban on the removal of fins at sea.
“Pew strongly supports the European Commission's proposal and urges all parliamentarians to endorse a strict EU policy against removing shark fins at sea, without any more exceptions,” said Sandrine Polti of the Pew Environment Group. “We are now looking to the Parliament's plenary to clarify this confusion.”