Taiwanese coast guard and government officials launched an investigation after a netizen named Kay Chen found the sharks and posted about it on Facebook.
The fins are the most valuable part of the fish, and local residents have blamed fisherman for the brutal practice.
In Taiwan, it's illegal to separate a shark's fin from the rest of its body, and the fine for doing so is the equivalent of between $1,000 and $5,000.
However, shark fin soup can still be found on the menu at upscale hotels and restaurants in Taiwan and other East Asian countries.
Protect Sharks and Manta Rays by Supporting the CITES Decision.
About the petition
On Sept. 14, 2014, groundbreaking protections took effect for five endangered shark species and all manta rays. The new rules, established at the 2013 meeting for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, require that these species be sustainably and legally harvested for international trade. This is the first time commercially valuable and widely traded shark species have been included under these protections.
We achieved a huge victory with these protections, but we need your help. Five nations refuse to accept the terms of this international mandate: Denmark, Guyana, Japan, Iceland, and Yemen.
Please sign the petition and urge them to comply. Your signature makes a difference.
