The #NoFinFL campaign would have not existed if it weren’t for Guy Harvey and the incredible team at Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. We are immensely grateful for their voices throughout the legislative process and beyond. Click through the images above to read our full article Guy Harvey Magazine’s Fall 2020 issue on this monumental win!

“Through the hard work of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, Shark Allies and other shark-friendly organizations, Florida recently became the 14th state to take action in stopping the large-scale harvesting and decimation of shark populations. In September, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that bans the importation of shark fins into Florida and closes loopholes that enabled the illegal shark fin trade to thrive.

The law finally puts an end to a long list of regulations and loopholes that prevented the proper enforcement of the existing Florida shark finning ban, which was implemented in 2012. Prior to the law, Florida ports had become a major hub for the transport of illegal shark fins to China and other Asian countries, where shark fin soup is a delicacy at weddings and other special events.

‘State fin bans have paved the way to make a campaign for a national fin ban a possibility,’ says Stefanie Brendl, Executive Director of Shark Allies. ‘There simply is no reason why Florida ports needed to keep allowing fin shipments in hopes that national legislation would eventually fix the problem. Local action matters. It is the pathway to national action.’”