Import ban on shark products demanded.
Import ban on shark products in Austria called for at national level by all five parliamentary parties.
- Representatives of all major parties praise SHARKPROJECT for its educational work to protect endangered sharks and their role in marine ecosystems.
- Effective measures against overfishing are needed to prevent extinction and ensure the balance in the oceans.
- Shark meat poses health risks and misleading labeling deceives consumers - an import ban is planned.
Vienna, December 7, 2022: The press conference on December 6, 2022 at the Natural History Museum in Vienna underlined the unanimity of the parliamentary parties.
The participants Lukas Hammer, environmental spokesperson for the Greens and Chairman of the Environment Committee, ÖVP MP Joachim Schnabel, Julia Herr, environmental and climate protection spokesperson for the SPÖ and Michael Bernhard, environmental and climate protection spokesperson for the NEOS thanked Gabriela Futterknecht, SHARKPROJECT International, for SHARKPROJECT’s important educational work on sharks, their impact on the marine ecosystem and their imminent extinction.
From 2023, the international trade of 90% of all shark species traded for their fins will be regulated (by the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), but only if we manage to stabilize shark populations worldwide through effective management measures and regulation of fishing will they be able to continue to play their role in maintaining the balance in the oceans. “This also affects us Austrians, as we get every second breath from the sea,” says Lukas Hammer.
The health risk posed by shark meat contaminated with methylmercury is another aspect that should lead to a legal ban on imports, emphasizes Gabriela Futterknecht. Consumers are misled by pseudo-names such as “Schillerlocke”, “Seeaal”, “Dornfisch”, etc. and do not know that they are consuming shark products. The lack of labeling, e.g. in cosmetic products, food supplements, etc., makes it impossible to understand that shark is contained in the form of squalene, which is extracted from shark liver. There are alternatives, as squalene can also be produced from plants or biotechnologically. A corresponding research project is underway at Graz University of Technology under Prof. Harald Pichler and his team.
Joachim Schnabel focuses on raising awareness and Michael Bernhard emphasizes that consumption must be restricted. Julia Herr referred to overfishing in our oceans and its devastating effects for us all and sees no alternative to the initiative.
SHARKPROJECT will be present as a guest at the upcoming National Council meeting when the National Council decides on a law to ban the import of commercial shark products.
Information on the Environment Committee (Ger.):
https://www.parlament.gv.at/ausschuss/XXVII/A-UM/1/00898
Information on the press release Environment Committee (Ger.):
Print media Austria (Ger.):
https://kurier.at/wirtschaft/parteien-einig-bei-importverbot-kommerzieller-haiprodukte/402250152
Import ban on shark products - Press conference from 6.12.2022
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