A LOCAL Euro-MP has pledged his support to a Fylde-based campaign to bring about a global ban on international shark finning.

Chris Davies MEP dropped into the Blackpool Sea Life Centre with wife, Carol, and 11-year-old daughter, Kate, to sign the petition for the aquarium's SOS Shark Campaign on Tuesday, August 12.

So far the campaign has attracted more than 400,000 signatures nationwide and aims to alert politicians to the brutal shark finning trade.

Each year around 100 million sharks are fished out of the world's oceans before having their fins hacked off and being thrown -- bleeding -- back into the water to endure an agonisingly long death.

Mr Davies -- who originally hails from Lytham -- said: "Certains types of fin can be sold for up to £10,000 and are considered a delicacy in many countries.

"And this is not the only reason why sharks are so in demand.

"Their body parts are also extremely sought after for medicinal and even aphrodisic purposes.

"This is a barbaric trade which sees many millions of sharks slaughtered each year and one of the biggest culprits is the Spanish fishing industry who have set up lucrative deals with Asian countries."

The Lib-Dem spokesman on the environment will now present the petition to EU Fisheries Minister -- Franz Fischler -- at the European Parliament in Strasbourg next month.

The centre -- which boasts the largest collection of sharks in the UK -- is home to more than 28 species of the fish and began the campaign earlier this year.

Blackpool Sealife manager, Matt McIver said: "It's great to have Mr Davies showing an interest in our campaign.

"We're really grateful for his support."