NY lawmakers vote to ban shark fin sales
New York legislators vote to ban trade in shark fins in effort to protect marine predator
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York lawmakers have voted to ban sales of shark fins in an effort to help protect the marine predators from overfishing globally.
So-called "finning" of sharks — catching them, cutting off their fins and returning them to the water — is already illegal in U.S. and New York coastal waters.
Sponsors of the legislation call it a "barbaric practice" kills tens of millions of sharks around the world each year. The fins are used in soup popular in Chinese cuisine.
The legislation passed by the Assembly on Monday and by the Senate in April will outlaw the sale or possession of raw or dried shark fins starting July 1, 2014.
A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo says his office will review the measure.
