Bill > HB05012

This bill prohibits the practice of shark finning by making it illegal to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute shark fins, with some specific exceptions. The bill defines "shark" as any species from the Elasmobranchii subclass (excluding certain ray species and smooth-hound sharks) and "shark fin" as a fin or tail separated from a shark's body. Individuals licensed to catch sharks may separate fins during the normal process of preparing a shark for consumption, but must immediately destroy the separated fin unless it is for personal consumption or taxidermy. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection can issue permits for shark fin possession for scientific research or educational purposes. Violations of the shark fin prohibition will be treated as an infraction, allowing individuals to pay a fine by mail or plead not guilty in court. The law is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and aims to protect shark populations by discouraging the harmful practice of shark finning, where sharks are caught, have their fins cut off, and are often thrown back into the ocean to die.