Shark finning banned in New Zealand

New Zealand is banning the practice ofshark finning, a move the Pew Charitable Trusts says is welcome andwill bring the country in line with other developed nations.

New Zealand's Conservation Minister Nick Smith said Wednesdaythat the move will reinforce the country's reputation for
sustainability and environmental protection.

The new rules, effective October, will make it illegal to removefins from dead sharks and dump the carcasses at sea. It was alreadyillegal in New Zealand to remove fins from live sharks.

Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy by some in China. But thepractice of shark finning has been condemned by many
environmentalists as inhumane and wasteful.

Pew estimates at least 100 million sharks are caught commerciallyeach year, threatening the survival of some species.