Every day, marine mammals and sea turtles fight for survival against an onslaught of threats including climate change, pollution, and deadly fishing gear entanglements. Despite the critical state of over one-third of our marine mammal species, the budget for the National Marine Fisheries Service, tasked with their protection, has remained flat. It's time for Congress to act swiftly and decisively.
Sign the petition to urge Congress to approve the proposed budget increase for the National Marine Fisheries Service from $175.5 million to $475.5 million!
Marine species such as the North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales, the Gulf of Mexico Rice's whale, the Southern Resident killer whale, and the vaquita, are teetering on the brink of extinction.
This significant funding boost is crucial to enhance conservation efforts, particularly the deployment of ropeless fishing gear to prevent tragic entanglements.
Recent legislative actions, like the six-year exemption given to the U.S. lobster fishery, directly undermine efforts to protect endangered species from harmful fishing practices. It is a stark reminder of the urgent need for increased funding and stricter regulatory actions to preserve our marine ecosystems.
Sign this petition to demand that Congress fulfill its responsibility to protect our planet's precious marine life by increasing the budget for the National Marine Fisheries Service!
