California's dolphins, whales and sea turtles need your help
- by: The Pew Charitable Trusts
- recipient: Governor Jerry Brown
Earlier this year, the Pacific Fishery Management Council unanimously agreed to address the unwanted waste of marine life from indiscriminant fishing gear by authorizing a better way to fish for swordfish, known as deep-set buoy gear. In November, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has the opportunity to lead the way on developing a plan to transition away from harmful drift gillnets starting with the authorization of deep-set buoy gear.
Drift gillnets are a wasteful way to fish for swordfish. They are banned on the East Coast and in many other parts of the world.
While swordfish and thresher sharks may be the fishery's primary target, drift gillnets injure or kill more whales, dolphins, and porpoises than all other West Coast fisheries combined. Harming iconic and endangered species such as leatherback sea turtles and sperm whales is unacceptable, particularly when less wasteful and more environmentally friendly alternatives exist, such as deep-set buoy gear.
Tested by scientists for over five years on the West Coast, deep-set buoy gear offers an opportunity to catch swordfish without this waste while bringing a local, sustainable seafood product to California.
According to a recent poll, over 85% of Californians want a transition away from drift gillnets. Please join with the vast majority in supporting sustainable alternatives.
Sign the petition today and ask Governor Jerry Brown to support a sustainable swordfish fishery in California.
Drift gillnets are a wasteful way to fish for swordfish. They are banned on the East Coast and in many other parts of the world.
While swordfish and thresher sharks may be the fishery's primary target, drift gillnets injure or kill more whales, dolphins, and porpoises than all other West Coast fisheries combined. Harming iconic and endangered species such as leatherback sea turtles and sperm whales is unacceptable, particularly when less wasteful and more environmentally friendly alternatives exist, such as deep-set buoy gear.
Tested by scientists for over five years on the West Coast, deep-set buoy gear offers an opportunity to catch swordfish without this waste while bringing a local, sustainable seafood product to California.
According to a recent poll, over 85% of Californians want a transition away from drift gillnets. Please join with the vast majority in supporting sustainable alternatives.
Sign the petition today and ask Governor Jerry Brown to support a sustainable swordfish fishery in California.
Subject: Please direct CDFW to develop a drift gillnet transition plan
Dear Governor Brown,
I am writing to ask for your leadership in promoting the development of alternative fishing gear to catch swordfish rather than using drift gillnets. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife can continue to play an important role in developing a plan to transition away from drift gillnets starting with the authorization of deep-set buoy gear at the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). I am encouraged by the Department’s actions at the September PFMC meeting that started the process to allow deep-set buoy gear as a new, authorized way to fish for swordfish. But there is more work to be done.
Until alternative fishing gears are authorized, destructive drift gillnets will remain the primary method to catch swordfish along the West Coast. I ask that you direct your designees on the PFMC to develop a plan to transition the drift gillnet fishery to more selective and actively tended gears. By doing so, you will join the 86 percent of Californians who agree we should transition away from drift gillnets toward more selective fishing methods.
Deep-set buoy gear allows fishermen to drop baited hooks hundreds of feet below the ocean surface, targeting swordfish at depth during the day while minimizing interactions with other marine life closer to the surface. This gear has support from multiple constituencies in California, including the sportfishing community, conservation organizations, thousands of citizens, hundreds of businesses along the seafood supply chain, and members of the commercial fishing fleet.
As a Californian, I take pride in our coast and care deeply about the health of the Pacific Ocean. This includes having well-managed fisheries, on which families and entire communities depend. Your leadership in promoting the development of a better way to catch swordfish will allow California fisheries to better meet our standards for conservation and will better protect the iconic species that live there.
[Your Comment]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Ký thỉnh nguyện thưKý thỉnh nguyện thưDear Governor Brown,
I am writing to ask for your leadership in promoting the development of alternative fishing gear to catch swordfish rather than using drift gillnets. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife can continue to play an important role in developing a plan to transition away from drift gillnets starting with the authorization of deep-set buoy gear at the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). I am encouraged by the Department’s actions at the September PFMC meeting that started the process to allow deep-set buoy gear as a new, authorized way to fish for swordfish. But there is more work to be done.
Until alternative fishing gears are authorized, destructive drift gillnets will remain the primary method to catch swordfish along the West Coast. I ask that you direct your designees on the PFMC to develop a plan to transition the drift gillnet fishery to more selective and actively tended gears. By doing so, you will join the 86 percent of Californians who agree we should transition away from drift gillnets toward more selective fishing methods.
Deep-set buoy gear allows fishermen to drop baited hooks hundreds of feet below the ocean surface, targeting swordfish at depth during the day while minimizing interactions with other marine life closer to the surface. This gear has support from multiple constituencies in California, including the sportfishing community, conservation organizations, thousands of citizens, hundreds of businesses along the seafood supply chain, and members of the commercial fishing fleet.
As a Californian, I take pride in our coast and care deeply about the health of the Pacific Ocean. This includes having well-managed fisheries, on which families and entire communities depend. Your leadership in promoting the development of a better way to catch swordfish will allow California fisheries to better meet our standards for conservation and will better protect the iconic species that live there.
[Your Comment]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
See more petitions:
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.