Woman pleads not guilty to selling shark fins in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of selling dried shark fins in a Portland store.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports 52-year-old Agnes Yu of Happy Valley is charged with four misdemeanor counts of selling dried shark fins at Wing Ming Herbs in southeast Portland. She pleaded not guilty. A court hearing is scheduled later this month.

Shark fins are often used in a traditional Chinese soup. In 2011, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill prohibiting the possession or sale of shark fins in the state.

Oregon State Police say an estimated 100 million sharks are killed globally each year for their fins.

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Information from: KOPB-FM