LEGISLATION AND GLOBAL INITATIVES
The 2010 Hawaii Landmark Bill
It is on the policy front where we have done our most meaningful work with the greatest impact. It started with the 2010 landmark bill in the State of Hawaii, where our founder, Stefanie Brendl, worked directly with Hawaii State Senator Clayton Hee to create a ban on the sale, trade, and possession of shark fins. A historic effort that became the model for many other State fin bans that followed.
A Patchwork of Protections
After the successful passage of the Hawaii bill, Shark Allies worked all over the United States and the Pacific to champion a wave of legislation to stop overfishing and the fin trade. Our legislation offers localized solutions in state legislatures, to sweeping national protections like H.R.737 - Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019.
AP Photo/Kin Cheung
The Domino Effect
The Hawaii bill kicked into motion a wave that has now resulted in 14 U.S. States, 3 territories, and many Pacific Nations passing fin trade bans, and several states are in the process of shaping legislation. Our work continues on this track through our Stop the Fin Trade campaign, with our most recent victory concentrated on ending the trade of shark fins in Florida.