"SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Governor Jerry Brown [Friday] signed legislation to ban the possession and sale of shark fins in California, saying shark finning for culinary purposes has led to substantial declines in shark populations worldwide."

"California is the fourth U.S. state to enact a ban on the sale of shark fins, joining Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon.

"The practice of cutting the fins off of living sharks and dumping them back in the ocean is not only cruel, but it harms the health of our oceans," said Governor Brown. "

Environment News Service had the story October 7, 2011. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Chinese American Food Purveyors Object To Law Banning Shark Fins" (Los Angeles Times) [3]