Clinton signs law to end shark-finning

WASHINGTON: The US President Bill Clinton announced he has signed into law a measure banning shark-finning in all US waters.

Each year, fishermen catch tens of thousands of sharks, slice off at least one fin, then toss their mutilated catch overboard. Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy in Asia.

“The Administration has actively supported the prohibition of shark-finning because of the harmful impact on sharks and shark populations,” Clinton said in a statement yesterday.

“Only through international cooperation can effective management be ensured for sharks, especially on the high seas,” he added.

In 1998, the number of sharks finned in the waters surrounding Hawaii topped 60,000, according to the Ocean Wildlife Campaign, a coalition of conservation groups.