Shark fin products disappear from Amazon!

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Scalloped Hammerhead sharks schooling off Cocos Island, Costa Rica
It seems that, following a groundswell of public outcry that originated with Wetpixel before spreading across much of the online world (at one point a Google search for Shark Fin Soup returned Divester's page on the controversy as hit #9 of about 430,000), Amazon has finally woken up to some semblance of corporate responsibility and has pulled shark fin cartilage products from the site.

By ceasing to sell shark based products, Amazon has taken an important step in the right direction. Amazon now has an opportunity, and responsibility, to join other world class organizations in taking a public stand against trade and consumption of shark products and other endangered species. As an example, Disney took public action in response to significant outcry against their initial plan to serve shark fin soup. In a press release they stated, “After careful consideration and a thorough review process, we were not able to identify an environmental sustainable fishing source, leaving us no alternative except to remove shark's fin soup from our wedding banquet menu,''

I urge Amazon to issue a similar statement to the public stating why they will no longer carry shark fin and related products. This would further position Amazon as an environmentally responsible and conscientious organization. Furthermore, this would cause me to resume my purchases with Amazon and resume referring others to your website.