The EU <strong>Shark</strong> Finning Review– EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VICTORYThe Campaign Progress The Final PushThe shark fin trade is complex and the regulations whichcurrently manage it are often lenient and near impossibleto enforce. Here in Europe a shark finning ban wasadopted in 2003 following a concerted effort by the <strong>Shark</strong>Trust and WildAid, in theory making shark finning illegalin EU waters and on EU vessels worldwide. Although theintent of the regulation was to see all sharks landed withtheir fins attached, loopholes in the regulation (Article 4)allow Member States to issue Special Fishing Permits,permitting vessels to remove shark fins at sea under acomplicated fin:carcass ratio.These permits were meant to be the exception, butfast became the rule for the Spanish and Portugueselong-line freezer vessel fleet. In this form the Europeanregulation is amongst the most lenient in the world,hard to enforce and hampers species-specific datacollection. Furthermore, the EU’s weak finning regulationundermines progress within the Regional FisheriesManagement Organisations who oversee high seasfisheries management for tuna and tuna-like fish(sharks).In 2006 the <strong>Shark</strong> Trust was a founder member of the<strong>Shark</strong> Alliance which, as a coalition of member groups,joined the campaign for the adoption of a tighter sharkfinning regulation through the adoption of ‘fins naturallyattached’: with no exceptions. To further understand theissues behind the campaign an excellent animation hasbeen developed which can been seen at:www.sharktrust.org/finning.Photos this pageMain image: Blue <strong>Shark</strong>. © Linda Pitkin.Image 1: Door-hanger reminding MEPs to attend the vote.© Sonja Fordham, SAI.Image 2: European Parliament. © <strong>Shark</strong> Trust.In <strong>Shark</strong> <strong>Focus</strong> 44 we reported that fins naturallyattached had been proposed by the EuropeanCommission, supported by the Council of FisheriesMinisters and the Environment Committee and washeading for PECH – the EP Fisheries Committee. Chairedby Gabriel Mato Adrover, a Spanish MEP, and receivingstrong lobby from the Spanish industry, PECH was nevergoing to be easy to win over.However the campaign had secured the support of somekey, proactive MEPs representing most of the politicalgroups. For the UK and Ireland these included ChrisDavies (ALDE), Julie Girling (ECR), Jim Higgins (EPP), IanHudghton (Green) and Nigel Farage (EFD); sadly alongthe way the campaign disappointingly lost the patronageof Struan Stevenson (ECR) who had previously beenvocal in his support. On 19th September PECH voted,and although there was clear support to remove thedamaging loophole, the result was confusing with twocontroversial points added to the report – but all wasfar from lost and the report was definitely still in play.Everything now came down to the plenary vote, and thefocus moved to Strasbourg for the final push.The European <strong>Shark</strong> Finning Regulation hasbeen at the heart of <strong>Shark</strong> Trust activitiessince the Trust was founded in 1997. Inthis, our fifteenth anniversary year, thecampaign has come to a head with crucialvotes in the Environment and FisheriesCommittees of the European Parliament(EP), culminating in a crucial plenarysession in late November, where all 752Members of the European Parliament hadthe opportunity to cast their vote.After months of delay and intense counter lobbying bythe Spanish and Portuguese fishing industry the reportreached Strasbourg the week of the 19th November.The upcoming plenary vote was finally confirmed by theEP Council of Presidents on the 19th and, working with<strong>Shark</strong> Alliance colleagues from across Europe, a carefullyorchestrated period of activity ensued. A breakfastworkshop and evening debate were instigated by thePortuguese rapporteur, Mrs Patrão Neves, and roundsof personal meetings all offered opportunity to gaugethe feeling of the MEPs and ensure they appreciated thepotential ramifications of the proposed amendments whichsought to reintroduce and support the damaging Article4. As the level of support for the Commission’s proposalbecame increasingly evident, focus turned to ensuringthe vote was well attended, with vote-encouraging doorhangersdistributed through the offices of the EP building.Thursday morning, the day of the vote, and nerves wererunning high as we made our way into the Hemicycle –the voting arena of the EP, with seats for all 752 MEPsspread out below and visitors confined to the uppergallery. All we could do was wait and hope that the MEPsfollowed through accordingly.The VoteVoting is fast and furious and vocal objection was raised to the first instruction for a show of hands.Electronic voting ensued and the results followed with the amendment to reintroduce Article 4 andcontinued ability to remove shark fins at sea categorically rejected by 563-66, and the Commission’sproposal overwhelmingly supported by 566-47, truly a landslide victory!Press ReleaseStronger <strong>Shark</strong> Finning Ban Endorsed in LandslideVote by European ParliamentThursday 22 November 2012: STRASBOURG// Conservation groups are celebratingtoday’s European Parliament vote to close loopholes in the European Unionban on shark finning (slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the body atsea), the culmination of six years of campaigning and debate. Members ofthe European Parliament voted 566-47 in favour of the European Commission’sproposal to impose the best practice for finning ban enforcement: aprohibition on removing shark fins at sea. The measure faced formidableopposition from representatives of Spain and Portugal, Europe’s leaders incatch of oceanic sharks.“Parliament’s overwhelming support for strengthening the EU finning banrepresents a significant victory for shark conservation in the EU and beyond,”said Ali Hood, <strong>Shark</strong> Trust Director of Conservation. “Because of the EU’sinfluence at international fisheries bodies, this action holds great promisefor combating this wasteful practice on a global scale.”The EU banned finning in 2003, but the associated regulation includesloopholes that allow shark fins to be removed on board and landed separatelyfrom shark bodies, which hampers enforcement.“We owe so much of our success to the tens of thousands of divers acrossEurope who voiced their concern for sharks,” said Suzanne Pleydell, Directorfor Project AWARE Foundation in Europe. “By demonstrating the economicbenefits of sound shark stewardship, divers brought new EU Member States tothe debate to support a stronger finning policy that reflects the values of theentire European Union, not just its shark fishing powers.”Parliament’s final report now goes to the EU Council of Ministers andCommission as part of the process to finalise the regulation. Conservationgroups stressed that finning bans alone are insufficient to save sharks.“Strong finning bans are fundamental to effective shark fisheries managementand particularly important for shark fishing powers like the EU, but ourwork is far from done,” said Sonja Fordham, President of <strong>Shark</strong> AdvocatesInternational. “We urge swift finalisation of the amended finning regulation,and remain committed to securing additional, complementary safeguardsincluding science-based limits on shark catch and trade.”The groups are turning their sights to the next big battleground for sharks:the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) whoseParties meet in March to consider proposals to list commercially valuable,threatened shark species, including Porbeagles, hammerheads, and OceanicWhitetips. Proponents for listing include the EU and U.S.1 2 3Photos this pageImage 3: 2003: the FisheriesMinister receives a petitiondemonstrating public frustrationat loopholes in new finningregulations. © Fishing News.Image 4: The campaign begins.© <strong>Shark</strong> Alliance.The Next StepsAlthough the EP vote is an overwhelming demonstration of support,all is not over. Under the process of co-decision (required underthe Lisbon Treaty) the report has now gone back to the Councilof Ministers who have to consider the EPs amended report. If theCouncil accept the report then we are hopeful for a rapid conclusion(possibly even adoption) before Christmas – and what a great start tothe new year that would make!Key dates in the <strong>Shark</strong> Trust finning timeline:200115,000 <strong>Shark</strong> Trust petitions were presented (by bike!) to MargoWallström, EU Commissioner of the Environment, starting thecampaign to ban shark finning in EU waters and by EU vesselsworld-wide.2003The EU finning regulation is adopted, and the <strong>Shark</strong> Trust voicedits disappointment as loopholes allowing removal of shark fins atsea are clearly evident from the start. Sarah Fowler, <strong>Shark</strong> TrustFounder and early campaigner for a shark finning ban, calledfor whole body landings as the only way to effectively enforce afinning ban.Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw hosted the <strong>Shark</strong> Trust andWildAid who, in the company of Mariella Frostup, presented83,000 petitions from a frustrated public.2006The <strong>Shark</strong> Trust contributed to the formation of the <strong>Shark</strong> Alliancecampaign, created to deliver the European Community Plan of Actionfor sharks, with the review of the finning regulation as a key objective.The EU regulation is reviewed and the European Parliament callsfor a tighter finning ban.2009The <strong>Shark</strong> Trust successfully campaigns for the end of theprovision of Special Fishing Permits in the UK. All UK vessels nowland sharks with their fins naturally attached. Strong supportis demonstrated by the Fisheries Ministers Huw Irranca Davies(Defra) and Richard Lochhead (Scotland).2010Majority MEP support is secured for a Written Declaration callingon the EU Commission to propose an end to at-sea removal ofshark fins.2011The Commission released a proposal for an end to at-sea removalof fins, with no exception.2012Feb: Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon receives 60,000 UKsignatures supporting fins naturally attached.Aug: Benyon and Julie Girling (MEP) dive into shark conservation.Sept: PECH vote to reject Article 4.Nov: MEPs show overwhelming support!Dec: Adoption..?44 www.sharktrust.org/finning <strong>Shark</strong> <strong>Focus</strong> 45<strong>Shark</strong> <strong>Focus</strong> 45 www.sharktrust.org/finning 5