SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois may become the first state without an ocean shore to ban possession of shark fin.
The state Senate approved the ban by 41-13 on Tuesday. It now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn.
Shark fin is a pricey delicacy used to make soup long considered a status symbol. Environmentalists say that harvesting fins is inhumane and a threat to shark populations.
Although shark fins aren't harvested in Illinois, lawmakers say Chicago's Chinatown is a hub for the sale and consumption of shark fin in the Midwest. They say a state measure would help reduce demand and prohibit it worldwide, including in China.
---
The bill is HB4119.
Online: http://www.ilga.gov/
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
