A Petition to Ban the Sale, Trade, and Possession of Shark Fins in the Province of Alberta

Alberta, a land-locked Province, may not be considered a a hot-spot for shark conservation.  Nonetheless, the reality is that Albertans, as citizens of the global community, can have an impact on the future survival of sharks.

73 to 100 million sharks are killed annually for their fins, and these fins enter the global fin trade (both legal and illegal) and ultimately end up as the key ingredient in shark fin soup.  Shark finning is a barbaric practice in which live sharks are captured, their fins are cut off, and the live shark is thrown back into the ocean to slowly die.  Shark fin soup is a traditional Chinese dish that is served as a symbol of status and wealth at banquets, wedding celebrations, and at high-end restaurants.
Shark fins are comprised as cartilage (the same substance that makes our noses and ears) and after being prepared for use in shark fin soup this cartilage only adds texture (no taste or nutritional value) to the soup.
Now is the time to end the senseless and cruel slaughter of sharks for their fins.  The international community has failed to act in a manner that adequately protects sharks from this massive extinction pressure, and individual states and territories throughout the Pacific ocean and in the United States of America have demonstrated that local/state-wide bans on shark fin possession is the most viable way to protect these critical species from mass extinction.
Moving forward in the 21st century, society will increasingly be asked to reconsider the traditions that are incredibly harmful to the environment. Sharks have survived for more than 400 million years, and it is up to us to ensure that they do not disappear simply for their use in soup.
Please leave a comment after signing the petition, and note that signing anonymously will not have as much of an impact. Please contact me (cameronj@ualberta.ca) if you are interested in participating in my campaign to ban shark fin possession in Alberta in a formal way.