Texas Game Warden Confiscates Over 300 Shark Fins From a Restaurant

Last week during a routine inspection at a seafood restaurant in San Antonio, the Texas Game Wardens made a shocking discovery.  With the assistance of K-9 units, law enforcement found 381 shark fins in the kitchen.  They also discovered an additional 29 pounds of frozen shark fins that were being stored in the restaurant’s commercials freezer.

When the Texas Game Warden’s announced their disturbing discovery on their Facebook page.  Most users were disgusted with the seafood restaurant for engaging in such a practice.

According to the Smithsonian Institute, the global shark population has been rapidly declining because of the practice of shark finning.  Fisherman who actively participate in this practice usually cut off the shark’s fin, before dumping the shark back in the water.   Without it’s fin the shark is unable to swim properly, and usually dies from profuse bleeding.  The shark fins are usually used in delicacies like shark fin soup, and can sell for as much as $500 a pound.

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Possessing shark fins is highly illegal in Texas.  In fact, a few years ago Texas became the 10^th state to ban the trading of shark fins.  In June of 2015, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB-1579, which made it illegal to buy, sell, possess or transport shark fins for commercial purposes in Texas.  The only exception to the law would be for bona fide scientific research purposes.

The wardens ended up confiscating all of the restaurant’s shark fins, which will be used as evidence.  At the time of this writing, investigators have not named either the restaurant or the owner.  Hopefully, the Texas Game Warden’s took shark fin soup off of the restaurant’s menu for good.