On Thursday, September 8, 2011 after more than a year of conservation advocacy, scientific review, and community input, and based on their staffs’ recommendation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a draft rule that would prohibit the harvest of three species of hammerhead sharks – great, smooth, and scalloped – and tiger sharks in Florida waters.

Shark Savers is pleased to announce that the world’s embattled shark populations got a reprieve today as the California state Senate passed a historic bill to protect all shark species from the environmentally destructive shark fin trade. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 25 to 9. It now moves to Governor Jerry Brown to be signed.

The passing of AB 376 was an especially important vote as California represents the largest economy in the world to thus far take a strong stand against the shark fin trade. California joins with Hawaii, Washington and Oregon—states that already have shark fin bans in place—effectively closing down all remaining ports and markets of the United States west coast from contributing to the shark fin trade.

California AB 376 to be voted on by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, August 25. California residents: If you haven't already done so, please contact your senators today.

Lush Cosmetics once again joins Shark Savers on the campaign to ban the shark fin trade and consumption, following our successful collaboration in Hong Kong. The campaign will last a week, beginning August 22. In California, Lush and Shark Savers will work together to increase awareness and support for AB 376, the bill to ban the shark fin trade. In the remainder of the United States and Canada, we will similarly increase awareness of the issue as well as gather petition signatures to support future initiatives to ban the shark fin trade in other states and provinces.

Visit Lush and see their campaign page, here.

Here is Lush's press release:

Powerful witness testimony to the Committee was provided by actress and conservation activist Bo Derek, Shark Savers' Director Sue Chen, and Wild Aid Executive Director Peter Knights. Personal statements of support were also given by all the Shark Day attendees young and old, from all walks of life, some in ties and some in shark suits!!

California Assembly Bill AB 376, which would ban the possession, sale, and trade of shark fins in the State of California, will be heard before the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Monday, August 15th in Sacramento. If you are a California resident, please contact the members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations to voice your support for the bill.

Shark Savers Canada successfully held its first event June 25th and 26th at the 23rd Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) held six public workshops about increasing protections for sharks all over the state. Those workshops are now complete.

The following is the text of an email sent to Jonn Lu, Shark Savers Hong Kong, from Chip Scarlett, a member of Shark Savers Board of Directors. The email congratulates Jonn and the team for the outstanding effort and success of the shark fin soup campaign event conducted with Lush Cosmetics. We provide it here as a way of reinforcing the value of grassroots action in our conservation activities and to thank our volunteers in Hong Kong and throughout the world.

As the world’s shark populations are forced towards the brink of extinction due to global demand for shark fin soup and other shark products, Shark Savers and Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics joined together to bring the message of sharks to the people of Hong Kong.