Following the lead of several other states, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill on Friday banning the possession, sale and — presumably — the ingestion of shark fins, signaling the death knell for a traditional Chinatown delicacy: shark fin soup.

Mr. Cuomo, an avid fisherman, said that he signed the legislation, which will take effect next year, to help safeguard the tens of millions of sharks that are killed each year for their fins.

“Not only is the process inhumane, but it also affects the natural balance of the oceanic ecosystem,” the governor said in a statement, adding that the state “will be doing its part to help preserve this important species and maintain a stable environment for them.”

New York is not a big shark-hunting state, but the law’s supporters say it will remove a major market for the fins and the soup they flavor, a salty broth often served at weddings and other banquets.