A bipartisan group of dozens of House lawmakers introduced legislation on Wednesday that would make it illegal to buy or sell shark fins.

The bill, led by Del. Gregorio Sablan (D-Northern Mariana Islands) and Rep. Michael McCaul Michael Thomas McCaulEngel subpoenas US global media chief Michael Pack Russia continues Navalny probe, wants to send additional investigators to Germany Pompeo says 'substantial chance' Navalny poisoning was ordered by senior Russian official MORE (R-Texas), is meant to further crack down on shark finning, in which fishermen remove fins and release the rest of the animal into the ocean to die.

Finning is already illegal in U.S. waters, but the bill’s supporters say that stopping the trade of fins would cut down on finning elsewhere, squeezing the market.

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“The strong, bipartisan support for this legislation sends a clear message that we have to pay more attention to protecting the Earth’s oceans and the life within those oceans,” Sablan said in a statement.

“Banning the sale of shark fins is important, but just a small step towards giving the oceans the full respect they must have in federal law,” he added.

Sablan first introduced the legislation, known as the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act, in 2016, modeling it after a similar law in the Northern Mariana Islands. Then-Rep. Ed Royce Edward (Ed) Randall RoyceThe 'extraordinary rendition' of a US Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, 'Hotel Rwanda' hero Gil Cisneros to face Young Kim in rematch of 2018 House race in California The most expensive congressional races of the last decade MORE (R-Calif.) was the lead Republican sponsor at the time, but he retired from Congress this month.

“It is long since time we leverage our economic might against shark-finning and work to counter the larger issue of animal poaching and the illicit trafficking of animal parts,” McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.

Conservation groups cheered the new bill.

“This bipartisan legislation is a sensible, non-partisan way for the U.S. to lead in shark conservation,” Whitney Webber, campaign director for responsible fishing at Oceana, said in a statement.

“A national fin ban is something that both sides of the aisle can agree is good for our oceans, and good for the tourism jobs and businesses that depend on healthy shark populations.”

The legislation has historically faced opposition from the shark fishing and seafood industry, who say that they should be allowed to sell and buy fins from sharks that are responsibly caught and used for other purposes.

“Prohibiting the sale of shark fins from the well-managed and highly-regulated U.S. fishery is a net negative for global shark conservation,” said Shaun Gehan, an attorney representing the Sustainable Shark Alliance.

Gehan said his group favors competing legislation from Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioFlorida senators pushing to keep Daylight Savings Time during pandemic Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE (R-Fla.), Rep. Daniel Webster Daniel Alan WebsterGaetz set to endorse primary opponent of fellow Florida GOP lawmaker Former cop Demings faces progressive pushback in veepstakes Overnight Energy: Biden campaign says he would revoke Keystone XL permit | EPA emails reveal talks between Trump officials, chemical group before 2017 settlement | Tensions emerge on Natural Resources panel over virtual meetings MORE (R-Fla.) and Rep. Ted Lieu Ted W. LieuThe spin on Woodward's tapes reveals the hypocrisy of Democrats Larry Kudlow defends response to coronavirus: Trump 'led wisely' Lieu on Trump 'playing it down' on coronavirus: 'This is reckless homicide' MORE (D-Calif.), which is meant to put pressure on foreign countries to ban shark finning.