Gov. DeSantis Signs Measure Banning Import and Export of Shark Fins - Florida Politics
It's time to celebrate, Florida is officially the 15th state to ban the shark fin trade! The Kristin Jacobs Ocean Conservation Act (SB680) is now law in the Sunshine State, what will soon be known as the previous hub of the fin trade for the United States. This was no easy feat, to say the least, 2 years of sweat, tears and a couple drops of blood. The journey was filled with tough hurdles and strong opposition, there was not a single easy day in this campaign. But all of us persisted and with this we have proven, once again, that we can succeed if we persist. When we started this campaign we were told that it couldn’t be done in Florida, that there was no point in trying. Well, sometimes it is the toughest fights we have to tackle, just because they usually are the most important ones. When we put our collective power behind an effort, we can do the (nearly) impossible.
We cannot thank our Allies enough, you spoke up for sharks every single time we said go! This would without-a-doubt not have been possible without our masterful lobbyists, Senator Travis Hutson, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation team, our seasters at Fin Alliance, the #NoFinFL partner organizations and last but definitely not least, the ocean warrior herself, Representatives Kristin Jacobs. Without her, there would be no Kristin Jacobs Ocean Conservation Act. Kristin's work will always be remembered. We love you, the sharks thank you, Mother Nature thanks you!
On the heels of last Friday’s news, read all about Governor Ron DeSantis signing the Kristin Jacobs Conservation Act (#NoFinFL SB680) into law! “What happens to sharks happens and affects Florida,” Jacobs said late last year. “It affects our coral reefs and so many other species that rely on a healthy ocean in order to survive.”
“Making it through all six committees and ending up with a victory for sharks is something most people believed would never happen,” said Stefanie Brendl, the group’s executive director. “There is more work to be done but ending the imports of fins immediately is a massive accomplishment and a bold first step in the right direction.”