User:Samantha hogue/sandbox

Problems
The intent of the Shark Finning Prohibition Act was to ebolish Shark finning entirely. Once the Shark Conservation Act was passed, the gap in the Shark Finning Prohibition act was uncovered. It was easy for dealers to acquire licenses to import shark fins into the United States. Highly migratory species trade permit costs $25.00 and the applicant only needs to fill out a form consisting of one-page of questions. There is also the 5 percent rule, which allows fishermen to have disconnected shark fins on their vessel, as long as the weight of the fins does not take up more then 5 percent of the total weight of the shark remains. The 5 percent act allows shark finning, just in limited quantities. Once the Shark Fin is removed from the shark's body, it is hard to identify the type of species of shark that the fin originally belonged to, making it easy for fishemen to violate the Endangered Species Act. The Shark Conservation Act which became effective in 2008, was focused on improving existing shark finning laws. The act states that sharks must come onto land with their fins in tact. Where the current laws at the time just stated that fins and shark remains come in at a specific ratio. On September 9, 2004, Cresento Bacalling and Conchito Gagas, Jr., plead guilty to federal violations of the federal natural resource anti-trafficking law, the lahey act and the shark finning prohibition act. This became the first arrest, charge and conviction for violations of the lahey act and the shark finning prohibition act in the United States since the ban was applied in 2002. There are 65 countries in the world that have put a ban on shark finning, however, some laws, policies and conservation measures can be vague, leaving everyone to interpret differently.

There is still quite a bit of importing happening in other regions other than the United States. In 2012, more than 3,100 metric tonnes of shark fins, were imported into Hong Kong. However, more than 10,000 metric tonnes of shark fins were imported into Hong Kong in the previous year, 2011. Within a year there has been a significant drop in demand for shark fins. Bahamas nations government made a law stating that shark fishing approximately 630,000 square kilometers of the countries waters is no longer allowed. Considering that the world wide market share value for shark fins is approximately 1.2 billion annually, the laws need to be enforced. Bowls of Shark fin soup can range up to $100 per bowl in China and is considered a popular dish there. Making the shark fins a hot commodity causing fishers to do anything possible in order to catch a shark. Up to 50 million sharks die annually of Bycatch, which consists of shark getting tangled in fishing nets that are meant to catch seafood.

Project Aware's Finnathon
In 2013, Project AWARE set up a global campaign to raise awareness about shark finning. It encourages divers, shark protectors and anyone wishing to get involved to do so. It encourages people to raise awareness by organizing events in their area to help raise funds for the cause. The event is meant to be open to the public with no entrance fee to help bring in more supporters. The money raised from the event will go towards the "fight against the practice of finning, insist on full protection for critically endangered sharks and negotiate stronger policies to ensure a brighter future for all sharks." Kiosks are set up throughout the event to inform supporters of the cause and of sharks. The kiosks are there to provide information about shark conservation and to allow supporters to make donations. Martin describes the day as "On May 3, we will be holding fun activities for both adults and children, which will include face painting, sand art competitions, stand-up paddle boarding, swimming challenges, a climbing wall and much more. We will also be hosting a fun race for anybody who would like to participate. At the end, there will be an award ceremony and a raffle with a range of prizes to be won, such as dive courses, standup paddle boarding lessons and a meal." The main goal of the finnathon is to create an environment that makes learning about sharks and shark conservation enjoyable. Martin also includes, "Shark fishing is largely unregulated around the world. This Finathon is a fun, healthy way to raise awareness about this important cause. Ultimately, we want people to learn and understand about sharks and how they directly affect the ecosystem. We place great emphasis on protecting the aquatic world. Sharks are just one of the many species that need our help and security for the future generations." Not only does Project Aware focus on shark finning, they focus on bycatch and and overfishing of sharks. Their focus is also on improving the overall quality of oceanic life and the cleanliness of the ocean for all marine animals, with a focus on the shark community. With a focus on sharks being a large attraction for tourism, helps to support their protection and banning of shark finning contributing to the Shark Finning Prohibition Act.