UPDATE: The California Senate passed AB 376 on September 6th! Now the legislation is headed to Gov. Brown's desk. Please urge the Governor to sign this important bill into law!

The Asian Pacific American Ocean Harmony Alliance was created to represent Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) who support the proposed legislation to ban the sale, trade, possession and distribution of shark fin.  If sharks continue to be killed just for their fins, the decline of sharks will upset the balance of healthy ocean and marine ecosystems and leave our children and grandchildren with a world that is less healthy.

Thousands of years of Asian philosophy emphasizes the importance of harmony between nature and humanity.  Therefore it is imperative for Asian Pacific Americans concerned about protecting the Earth’s natural resources to speak up in support of the ban on shark fin.

The legislation will be authored by Assemblymembers Paul Fong and Jared Huffman and is supported by environmental organizations that include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Humane Society of the United States, Heal the Bay, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council, and WildAid.  Similar legislation has recently been successfully signed into law in Hawaii and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.

Because individuals are not listed in support of legislation as part of the state legislative process and there is no existing APA organization that advocates on environmental conservation, the Asian Pacific American Ocean Harmony Alliance was created to represent the numerous APA leaders and advocates that support the ban on shark fin.  Prominent APA artists, activists, scholars and elected officials have already joined the Alliance.

The legislative proposal will be introduced within three weeks and we need as many APAs to join the Alliance before then in order to effectively dispel the misconception that APAs do not support a ban on shark fin.

Although shark fin soup has been a popular traditional Chinese entree for years because of its association with prestige and privilege, the APA community must help reduce the consumption of shark fin in order to protect the ocean ecosystem that keeps our environment in balance.  A number of globally recognized APA chefs support alternatives to shark fin and APAs that want to enjoy premium quality seafood have many sustainable alternatives to choose from.  Even the prestigious Pacific Palms Resort in the heart of Los Angeles’ largest Chinese American community has discontinued serving shark fin soup.