Updated on April 21, 2016
California lawmakers recently announced a proposal that would make it illegal to possess or sell shark fins. This is in an effort to restrict shark finning, a process where the fins and tails are cut from living sharks.
Each year, millions of sharks are subjected to this brutality with their fins ending up in shark fin soup or sold in the form of nutritional supplements marketed as cancer-fighters. Not only are shark fins devoid of flavor, but studies show that they also lack any nutritional value.
In addition, shark fins are known to contain dangerously high levels of mercury. Watch our Mercury Video to learn how mercury climbs the food chain.
For more on this story, read No Health Benefits to Eating Controversial Shark Fins.