{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-130-106","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 130, § 106","heading":"Possessing, selling, offering for sale, trading or distributing of shark fins prohibited; exceptions; penalty for violation","body":"Section 106. (a) Except as provided in this section, no person shall possess, sell, offer for sale, trade or distribute a shark fin.\n(b) A person who holds a license or permit to take or land sharks may separate a shark fin from a lawfully landed shark during the ordinary course of preparing the body of the shark for consumption, sale, trade or distribution; provided, however, that a shark fin so separated from the shark shall be immediately destroyed unless used by the person for the purposes of taxidermy.\n(c) The division may issue a permit for the possession of a shark fin to a person conducting noncommercial, scientific research.\n(d) A shark fin seized by the division through the enforcement of this section shall be destroyed by the division.\n(e) Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 60 days or by both such fine and imprisonment; provided, however, that each shark fin possessed, sold, offered for sale, traded or distributed in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense. A violation of this section by a person holding a commercial or recreational license or permit pursuant to this chapter may result in the suspension or revocation of such license or permit.","path":["Part I","Title XIX","Chapter 130"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIX/Chapter130/Section106","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:23:10Z","sha256":"f36b61edc8b7b59f05f063bc2f2d3a266f573a3ec002d47ccabedee0c8f1b2e2","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-130-105","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-131-1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}