Texas divers, we need your help to protect sharks.
HB 1579 (relating to the sale and purchase of shark fins or products derived from shark fins; creating a criminal offense) has made it through the Texas House and is now beginning its path through the Texas Senate.
The primary intent of this bill is not to curb local consumption, but rather to continue to make it more difficult for the shark fin trade to move their product from where the sharks are being slaughtered to Asia for consumption. As other states (9 so far) put protections in place, an increasing percentage of the shark fin trade moves through Texas airports and seaports.
If you are unfamiliar with shark finning and the magnitude of the shark fin trade, please let me know and I can get you more information.
The first step is for the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs to review the bill and hopefully recommend that it be voted on by the full Texas Senate.
You can find a list of the state Senators who are on the committee by clicking here. If you click on their names, you'll be taken to pages where you can find their phone numbers or send them emails.
For now, what we need is for you to do is contact the chair, vice-chair and members of that committee saying something to the effect of "I support HB 1579 relating to the shark fin trade and request that your committee approve for it to be voted on by the full Senate." (Feel free to expand upon and/or personalize that statement.)
If there is anyone who will be in Austin the week of 18-22 May and would be willing to visit the committee meeting and say a few words in support of the bill, please let me know & I can put you in touch with the right people.
As the bill hopefully moves out of committee and to the Senate floor, I'll update this thread with additional ways that you can help.
This only takes a few minutes. Let's let the folks in Austin know that we care about sharks and want our state to protect them!
HB 1579 (relating to the sale and purchase of shark fins or products derived from shark fins; creating a criminal offense) has made it through the Texas House and is now beginning its path through the Texas Senate.
The primary intent of this bill is not to curb local consumption, but rather to continue to make it more difficult for the shark fin trade to move their product from where the sharks are being slaughtered to Asia for consumption. As other states (9 so far) put protections in place, an increasing percentage of the shark fin trade moves through Texas airports and seaports.
If you are unfamiliar with shark finning and the magnitude of the shark fin trade, please let me know and I can get you more information.
The first step is for the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs to review the bill and hopefully recommend that it be voted on by the full Texas Senate.
You can find a list of the state Senators who are on the committee by clicking here. If you click on their names, you'll be taken to pages where you can find their phone numbers or send them emails.
For now, what we need is for you to do is contact the chair, vice-chair and members of that committee saying something to the effect of "I support HB 1579 relating to the shark fin trade and request that your committee approve for it to be voted on by the full Senate." (Feel free to expand upon and/or personalize that statement.)
If there is anyone who will be in Austin the week of 18-22 May and would be willing to visit the committee meeting and say a few words in support of the bill, please let me know & I can put you in touch with the right people.
As the bill hopefully moves out of committee and to the Senate floor, I'll update this thread with additional ways that you can help.
This only takes a few minutes. Let's let the folks in Austin know that we care about sharks and want our state to protect them!
