Each year tens of millions of sharks are being killed for their fins alone in the practice called shark finning, and as bycatch in industrial longline fishing.  These are unsustainable practices and populations of sharks cannot endure this pressure. The  growing market demand generated by shark fins for soup and other shark products are the tipping point for ocean ecosystem stability.  Sharks are essential components of a healthy ocean.
With its large and relatively affluent community, San Francisco is a significant consumer of shark fin soup.  Without any certifiable sourcing, consumers of fins in shark fin soup and in the dried fish markets are unwittingly responsible for creating a serious imbalance in our ocean ecosystems.  Until a solution is achieved certifying that shark fins can be sourced to a sustainable shark fishery, we hereby petition that the Mayor and Supervisors proclaim a ban on shark fins and shark fin products in the City and County of San Francisco, promote Shark Sanctuary San Francisco and help develop solutions for sustainable seafood practices.