Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition calling on the Government of Canada to immediately legislate a ban on the importation of shark fin to Canada.
Apex predators such as sharks play a critical role in maintaining healthy, balanced ecosystems. The continuing practice of shark finning, which is the practice of removing the fins and discarding the remainder of the shark back into the sea, is having a devastating effect on shark species around the world. The practice of shark finning results in an estimated 73 million sharks a year being killed for their fins alone, and over one-third of all shark species are threatened with extinction as a result of shark finning. Measures must be taken to stop the global practice of shark finning and ensure the responsible conservation management of sharks.