The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is reporting a private jet was intercepted in February while traveling between Hawaii and California with a cargo of 40 shark fins. The operation was a coordinated effort between CDFW Wildlife Officers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife, who alerted them to the jet’s departure from Hawaii and a tip on what it was carrying.
The CDFW says the jet left Hawaii before it could be stopped so agents worked to intercept the jet as soon as it landed in California, however, they did not specify which airport or location it had traveled to. Once the jet landed and was met by agents, they say the people aboard admitted to having shark fins aboard and agreed to a search of the plane. That’s when agents uncovered a total of 40 dried and frozen fins.
“Possessing shark fins detached from the shark is illegal in California and across the United States and much of the world,” reads a statement from the CDFW, adding that, “the practice of harvesting sharks solely for their fins is a cruel and destructive act. After their fins are removed, sharks are released back into the ocean where they slowly die, often by drowning, as most species must swim continuously to pass water over their gills. Beyond the inherent cruelty, shark finning devastates vital ocean ecosystems. Sharks are apex predators that help maintain the balance of marine life, and their loss disrupts global ecosystems that we all depend on.”
An investigation is now underway to determine the original source and if the incident was part of a larger trafficking network. The CDFW acknowledged California’s Assembly Bill 376, which established Fish and Game Code 2021 and made it unlawful to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade or distribute shark fin in the state. Violations can result in up to six months in prison and a range of fines.
