The trade and processing of sharks and shark products is only permitted in Austria in exceptional cases. In this way, marine animals should be protected from extinction. More than three-quarters of all shark species are threatened by overfishing and hunting, says project manager Gabriela Futterknecht.
The entry into force of a Ministry of Environment regulation has sealed the end of “questionable cosmetics, sexual enhancers, shark fin soup and shark steaks” in this country. According to the project manager, Schillerlocke and shark fin soup are common in Austrian gastronomy. “Austria ranks fifth in Europe when it comes to the import of shark meat,” the species protection organization Sharkproject said in a press release. Additionally, shark ingredients are being discovered in cosmetics, dietary supplements and sexual enhancers, “often without proper labeling and consumer information.”
Draft resolution submitted
In 2022, species conservationists turned to the parliamentary parties, which submitted a draft resolution in December. The new regulation now provides for sanctions for the import and processing of shark meat, as well as for the import of shark bites and similar ‘souvenirs’. Anyone who does not comply with this risks fines of up to 40,000 euros and prison sentences of up to two years.
Requiem sharks are explicitly mentioned, such as reef sharks, blue sharks and bull sharks. Mako sharks, whale sharks and great white sharks are also particularly protected. Individual official import permits are required for an exception.
Global inventory is declining
Over the past fifty years, the world population has decreased by more than seventy percent. “Sharks are an essential part of a functioning marine ecosystem on which more than a billion people worldwide directly depend. “Sharkproject would like to thank Minister of Climate and Environmental Protection Leonore Gewessler, those who introduced the resolution in Parliament and especially Lukas Hammer, Member of the National Council, Chairman of the Environment Commission, for their active commitment to the protection of sharks,” the statement said. species protection organization. She hoped other European countries would follow suit.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
