Whales, seals and other marine life are in peril of extinction and starvation due to a lack of sustainable foods, especially off the West Coast. These animals feed on such delicacies as sardines, mackerel and anchovies, except that it appears there are not enough of these small fish to keep these ocean animals fed.
Much of the problem in feeding these marine animals is often due to heavy fishing as stated in http://act.oceana.org/sign/nmfs_hungrywhalesanchovy?source=mailing&t=3&akid=6550.1459118.vLRIg8. These animals can become dehydrated, emaciated and lacking in breeding success to nourish their young if they do not get enough food for nourishment and proper nutrients. The hope is to support Oceana.org and ask the National Marine Fisheries Service to take some much need steps to ensure that all marine life will have enough small fish to feed on for good health. A possible ask is that they implement an annual catch level of these small fish so that continual fishing will not deplete their numbers; a way to help the anchovy rebound as a way to keep whales from going hungry.
Our efforts in this petition is just that; to support Oceana and target the National Marine Fisheries Service, encouraging them to take drastic measures in limiting the numbers of small fish caught that would lessen their numbers for the sustenance of whales and other marine life. You can help in this effort by signing and sharing this petition so that we can protect the ocean life such as whales, sea lions and brown pelicans from loss of food.
National Marine Fisheries Service, Ms. Sobeck and Mr. Stelle – We strongly support and encourage your efforts to establish an annual catch level for crucial little fish within the oceans. The concern is that your current proposed catch level of 25,000 metric tons is still much too high and we ask that you decrease these catch levels to meet the many needs of the many ocean predators that feed on anchovy in these waters, such as the whales, seals, sea birds and other marine life. Many of these animals are having difficulty find such foods to sustain their health and it could lead to their dehydration, starvation and failures in reproducing. There needs to be a more conservative catch limit to help the rebound of anchovy to meet the requirements of the many predators dependent on these small fish for sustenance. Reconsider such annual catch levels and lower the numbers to meet the needs of the marine life that depends on these small fish to survive.
