This practice has reduced the shark populations around the world and the ecosystem depends on sharks to keep our oceans clean. Sharks are slow to reproduce and this activity has become increasingly dangerous for the sharks very survival. 

Oregon is important in the attempt to stop this travesty; Washington and California are considering to join the ban and Hawaii ha already adopted the ban policy. I have two problems with the bill; the fines will be $750 for the first violation. In my opinion the fine is not high enough but at least it is a start to end the slaughter of a species for their fins. Secondly enforcement will only be done if a complaint is given. I think the State police should check all the boats in suspect areas. I would think the ODFW would know the area where sharks are usually taken. There are about 150 sharks taken off the Oregon coast each year, so documentation is available for the cops to use.


This practice has reduced the shark populations around the world and the ecosystem depends on sharks to keep our oceans clean. Sharks are slow to reproduce and this activity has become increasingly dangerous for the sharks very survival.

Oregon is important in the attempt to stop this travesty; Washington and California are considering to join the ban and Hawaii ha already adopted the ban policy. I have two problems with the bill; the fines will be $750 for the first violation. In my opinion the fine is not high enough but at least it is a start to end the slaughter of a species for their fins. Secondly enforcement will only be done if a complaint is given. I think the State police should check all the boats in suspect areas. I would think the ODFW would know the area where sharks are usually taken. There are about 150 sharks taken off the Oregon coast each year, so documentation is available for the cops to use.

Even though there are only a few Chinese restaurants in Oregon that serve shark fin soup I agree with representative Witt it is time to ban the shark fins before the problem gets any bigger. Shark fin soup sells for about $80.00 per bowl and from $299-$699 a pound in Chinese markets in L.A.

I am glad that the world is trying to stop the slaughter of a species before it is too late. It is too bad the Chinese have to exterminate various species for a tiny part of the animal. I say shame on the Chinese they are a people that are ignorant on human rights, environmental practices, and practice beliefs that should have been stopped when they became part of the modern world and their practices should have become ancient history.