(05-23) 16:19 PDT Sacramento -- The California Assembly overwhelmingly approved a ban on the sale and distribution of shark fins in California, moving the state one step closer to outlawing an ancient Chinese delicacy and keeping alive a debate that has split the ethnic community.

The lower house approved the bill, AB376, on a 62-8 vote Monday afternoon after a long floor debate. If the measure is approved by the state Senate, shark fin soup - a popular tradition at Chinese celebrations including weddings - would be illegal in the Golden State beginning Jan. 1, 2013.

The law takes aim at a practice known as finning, in which a shark's fins and tails are cut off before the animal is thrown back into the ocean to die. Supporters say that businesses in California have skirted a U.S. law banning the practice by buying fins collected in international waters and noted the catastrophic collapse in the worldwide shark population in recent years.

"I knew when I accepted the responsibility (of authoring this bill) - I weighed the cultural implications versus the environmental concerns, and the environmental issues outweighed the cultural," said Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, who cited the sharks' position as a top predator.

"This is like a house of cards. Once we lose the top predator, we will watch the rest of the ocean collapse."

Opponents - including San Francisco Assemblywoman Fiona Ma - argue that the measure unfairly targets the Chinese community and say that existing laws are adequately protecting sharks. Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park (Los Angeles County), noted that California issues permits that allow fishermen to legally kill thousands of sharks each year.

"If sharks are an endangered species and are being imported illegally from abroad, why not start in California and ban the taking of sharks in California?" he said. "This unfairly targets one community, a community I represent ... and that brings into question the issue of fairness."

The measure is being pushed by environmental, animal rights and conservation groups, organizations that, combined, have contributed more than $186,000 to Assembly lawmakers the past two years, according to information compiled by the nonprofit Maplight.org.

Opponents - including several Asian food and restaurant associations - have given about $101,000 to Assembly members in recent years, the nonprofit found.