WHAT IS HAPPENING IN FLORIDA

13 U.S. States have decided to move ahead with fin trade prohibitions. Florida is the ONLY state where two attempts to pass a bill have failed, despite the fact that it is now the hub for the fin trade in the US. Although shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters (Shark Conservation Act of 2010), and in the State of Florida, the act is still occurring.

A Miami Herald article explains the situation in the region in detail:  "...Florida now ranks as the largest importer of shark fins in the country, according to Oceana. And shark fins from Central America often pass through Miami International Airport on their way to Hong Kong, according to data supplied by the private trade data aggregate ImportGenius. It wasn’t always that way. For years, Los Angeles and then Houston were the transit hubs for Central American fins. But as Texas and California tightened restrictions, the exports moved to Florida.”

In February of 2020, 1,400 pounds of shark fins were seized at the Port of Miami. The authorities reported that the shipment most likely came from South America and was headed for Asia. The amount of shark fins found was estimated to be worth up to $1 million dollars. This isn’t an uncommon occurrence, as the NRDC found that Miami is the 2nd largest transit point for Latin American shark fins shipped through the US.  

Costa Rica alone ships 87% of its annual catch through Miami International Airport. “…Between 2015 and the middle of 2017, Costa Rican companies alone moved 180,000 pounds of dried shark fins through MIA on their way to Asia using two small logistics companies. Those fins were valued at almost $2.5 million dollars. It’s nearly impossible to know if any of the shark fins flown through MIA were from endangered species. But a 2017 independent analysis of shark fin clippings imported to Hong Kong suggests that a third of the fins may come from internationally protected species..."

Between 2010 and 2017, according to the data gathered by the National Marine Fisheries Service, even as state-wide bans on sales were going into effect elsewhere in the country, the number of fins imported into Florida and South Atlantic states began to rise after a two-year lull. During that same period, exports of fins through Florida and other coastal states continued to rise as well.