The practice of finning has been illegal in the U.S. since 2002, but the importation and sale of the fins is still legal. Fins are currently sold here in the U.S. for between $200 - $900 per pound, and a bowl of shark fin soup sells for $90 per bowl. The business of shark fins has exploded into a billion dollar industry. It's estimated that between 100 – 150 million sharks are killed each year…primarily for use in shark fin soup. Shark fin soup is a delicacy in some cultures and has increased dramatically in popularity over the past two decades. It's a 
symbol of wealth and served as a display of respect. Unfortunately, the demand for this soup is causing the decimation of an entire species and is tipping the balance scales of our ocean's ecosystem at a terrifying rate. It is estimated that the shark population has already declined by 90% in the past 30 years and many species are already listed on the IUCN Red List. 
Dorsal Friends is a non-profit organization that was formed to raise public and political awareness to the ecological damage caused by the practice of "finning" sharks, with the goal of outlawing the sale of shark fins and products in the United States, beginning with municipalities in California. 
We are sponsoring a petition to 'BAN THE SALE OF SHARK FINS AND SHARK FIN PRODUCTS' in Los Angeles County that will be presented to the Board of Legislators in 2010. It is our goal to collect 5,000 signatures to illustrate the need to outlaw this unsustainable practice, and for the U.S. to stop supporting an industry in which we have condemned for years. Please help us to accomplish this goal, and set a strong example for the rest of the nation, and internationally by signing the petition RIGHT NOW! For more information on Shark issues and what you can do to help, visit Dorsal Friends.
BAN THE SALE OF SHARK FINS AND SHARK FIN PRODUCTS
