Whitetip shark measures a good start, now stop shark finning

The Green Party supports the Government's measures, announced today, to protect the whitetip shark, but is calling on the Government to put an end to shark finning in New Zealand waters.

"New Zealand is lagging behind the majority of fishing nations in dealing with the unsustainable practice of shark-finning," said Green Party ocean's spokesperson Gareth Hughes.

"Shark finning − the practice of killing a shark, cutting off its fins, and discarding the carcass back to sea - is still legal in New Zealand, unlike in the US, EU and Australia."

Worldwide, 73 million sharks are slaughtered annually for their fins alone.

"It's great that next year the whitetip shark will become fully protected under the Wildlife Act 1953, but the Government can help more sharks by stopping shark finning," said Mr Hughes.

"Shark finning is like killing an elephant just for its tusk and is grossly wasteful.

"The Green Party is calling on the Government to align our shark fin policies with United Nations recommendations and adopt a 'fins naturally attached policy' which would require vessels to keep the whole shark, rather than discarding carcasses at sea.

"In New Zealand's Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery, many more sharks than tuna are caught as by-catch. These sharks are often finned and discarded.

"Adopting a 'fins naturally attached policy' would see a large number of blue sharks returned to the sea alive.

"Sharks are too precious to kill for their fins alone," said Mr Hughes.

This year the Government is reviewing the National Plan of Action-Sharks, and the Green Party is urging the Government to take the opportunity to stop shark finning.

The Green Party supports the Government's measures, announced today, to protect the whitetip shark, but is calling on the Government to put an end to shark finning in New Zealand waters.