Congressman Farenthold Introduces the JAWS Act

I introduced the Justice Attributed to Wounded Sharks (JAWS) Act, H.R. 3377, on Tuesday.

The JAWS Act prohibits the importation of seafood products from countries that do not prohibit shark finning in their territorial waters. It also prohibits importing seafood products from countries that sell, possess, import, or consume shark fins obtained through shark finning.

While the inhumane practice of shark finning is currently illegal in the United States, I think more needs to be done to stop this horrible practice from happening around the world.

Shark finning is a process in which someone cuts off the fins from sharks when they are alive. The sharks are then tossed back into the ocean. This causes the shark to die a slow and painful death, typically at the bottom of the ocean.

In addition to the inhumane implications of shark finning, there are several other concerns raised by these activities. Shark finning can be very lucrative in places where shark fin soup is considered a delicacy. This practice is decimating shark populations.