Who am I and what's happening in California?

Welcome to my blog on shark finning! I'm Jessica and am currently on exchange at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. I'm originally from San Francisco, California with my home university being University of California, Los Angeles. This blog is meant to serve as a source for a broad overview on the issue of shark finning which is also an important point where the biosphere and the anthrosphere interact with each other. I'll be periodically posting about certain aspects of the issue, especially the interaction, in more detail and the ongoing news about shark finning itself.

Speaking about ongoing news, according to the New York Times, just two months ago in July 2015 the federal appeals court of California deemed that California's shark fin ban is legal and does not violate any preexisting laws regarding shark finning. However, there were arguments made by others about how the law specifically attacks the Asian community precisely because shark finning is the basis of producing the Asian delicacy - shark fin soup. The court stated in defense that the law exists not to target the Asian community, but more importantly to prevent animal cruelty, to preserve wildlife, and to protect human health. Because the federal appeals court is aware of the repercussions that come with shark finning, its action of upholding the law serves to benefit sharks and humans. Despite a long history of shark finning in the U.S., the government is taking initiative to recognize and to control the issue.