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Save Endangered Whales from Deadly Fishing Gear

Target: Mary Colligan, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service
Sponsored by: The Ocean Conservancy
The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered large whales in the world, with only about 300 individuals left of the species. We cannot afford to lose a single whale because of human causes. During 2004, 17 whales, including six North Atlantic right whales, were entangled when they encountered fishing gear in their ocean habitat along the U.S. East Coast.

Solutions exist to protect these whales from being entangled, injured or killed, in fishing gear, but they need to be more aggressively utilized.

In an effort to eliminate potentially deadly entanglements, the National Marine Fisheries Service (the agency responsible for protecting whales) is taking public comments on proposed alternatives to improve the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan-a strategy required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

With three of the species of whale affected by fishing gear listed as endangered, especially the extremely endangered North Atlantic right whale, we cannot afford anything less than a 100 percent effective plan to protect these magnificent animals from fishing gear encountered in their habitat.

Act Now! Ask NMFS to strengthen the protection of whales by requiring modifications to fishing gear proven to prevent whales from becoming entangled
deadline: 5-9-2006
goal: 20,000
 
19,713
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Dear Mary Colligan,

I am deeply concerned about the health of all ocean life, especially that of the large whales along our Atlantic Coast. For this reason, I am most troubled to learn that these creatures are becoming entangled, injured and sometimes killed in fishing gear placed in their habitat. It is especially troubling that this danger poses a threat the extremely endangered North Atlantic right whale when solutions exist that have yet to be fully implemented.


Therefore I urge you to strengthen the proposals contained in the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to maximize protection for these whales. The preferred alternative in the DEIS must be strengthened in the following ways:


  • Require year-round fishing gear modifications, including weak links in gill and drift nets effective enough to allow whales to escape entanglement;

  • Maximize the use of sinking line in lobster trap fisheries including on vertical lines;

  • Minimize the use of vertical lines in trap fisheries, such as requiring the use of a single vertical line at one end of a line of traps as opposed to one at each end;

  • Be very cautious in maintaining areas of habitat closed to fishing gear along the East Coast on a seasonal basis, or when whales are known to be present until the necessary and proven gear modifications are in place.


With three of the species of whale affected by fishing gear listed as endangered, especially the extremely endangered North Atlantic right whale, we cannot afford anything less than a 100 percent effective plan to protect these magnificent animals from fishing gear encountered in their habitat.



Thank you for considering my views.
We signed the “Save Endangered Whales from Deadly Fishing Gear” petition!
# 150:
3:14 pm PDT, May 10, Irene Dorman, New Mexico
# 149:
3:13 pm PDT, May 10, Jennifer Harrison, Colorado
# 148:
3:13 pm PDT, May 10, Diane Iverson, Wisconsin
Please protect the whales and require modification to fishing gear proven to prevent whales from becoming entangled.
# 147:
3:13 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, Oregon
a key species on our planet and we should all we can to save them!
# 146:
3:13 pm PDT, May 10, Linda Bescript, Arizona
Disrespected! Keep on killing them, for no good reason, and it will be another magnificant species, gone forever.
# 145:
3:12 pm PDT, May 10, Valerie Nemeth, California
blessed intelligent creatures and preservation is of utmost importance.
# 144:
3:12 pm PDT, May 10, Benjamin Jones, New Jersey
# 143:
3:12 pm PDT, May 10, Dara Tallmadge, Colorado
# 142:
3:11 pm PDT, May 10, Jonathan Lyons, California
# 141:
3:11 pm PDT, May 10, Donna Sharee, California
...wonderful animals that we should protect. They are an integral part of the ocean ecosystem. They are highly intelligent creatures that deserve our respect and care.
# 140:
3:11 pm PDT, May 10, Karol Teal, Illinois
# 139:
3:10 pm PDT, May 10, Ellen Forbes, Maine
# 138:
3:10 pm PDT, May 10, Brenda Anna, Maryland
not given the attention they deserve. We must work to restore the balance of nature.
# 137:
3:09 pm PDT, May 10, Jennifer Fenton, California
# 136:
3:09 pm PDT, May 10, Judith Anderson, California
# 135:
3:09 pm PDT, May 10, Brianna Look Hong, Trinidad And Tobago
# 134:
3:09 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, California
extraordinarily awe-inspiring creatures.
# 133:
3:08 pm PDT, May 10, Sheila Ganz, California
Plesase Save Endangered Whales from Deadly Fishing Gear!
# 132:
3:08 pm PDT, May 10, John Curotto, Connecticut
# 131:
3:08 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, California
beautiful creatures that we (who cause the planet the most harm) should protect and cherish.
# 130:
3:08 pm PDT, May 10, Marci Moss, Illinois
# 129:
3:07 pm PDT, May 10, Katherine Babiak, New York
extremely important to the oceanic ecosystem. In addition, they are very intelligent animals: many species have societies which are as complex as human society.
# 128:
3:07 pm PDT, May 10, Laure Dillon, Hawaii
Peaceful co-existence with all living creatures must become the goal of humanity.
# 127:
3:07 pm PDT, May 10, Patty Taylor, North Carolina
worth saving.
# 126:
3:07 pm PDT, May 10, Kelly Heitman, California
# 125:
3:07 pm PDT, May 10, Lorna Rankin, Texas
# 124:
3:06 pm PDT, May 10, Jen Piercy, South Dakota
# 123:
3:06 pm PDT, May 10, Penny Taylor, California
# 122:
3:06 pm PDT, May 10, Daniel P Henling, Washington
# 121:
3:05 pm PDT, May 10, Michael Beran, Georgia
# 120:
3:04 pm PDT, May 10, Jena Sleboda, Illinois
# 119:
3:04 pm PDT, May 10, Anne Harvey, California
our fellow mammals, and deserve to live on this earth as much as we do.
# 118:
3:03 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, Wisconsin
# 117:
3:01 pm PDT, May 10, Amy Hayes, Tennessee
# 116:
3:01 pm PDT, May 10, Kimberly Hurley-shoaf, North Carolina
# 115:
3:01 pm PDT, May 10, Celia Hodgson, Missouri
beautiful and loving creatures
# 114:
3:01 pm PDT, May 10, Geneva Gautestad, Washington
# 113:
3:00 pm PDT, May 10, Rev Amy Samonds, South Carolina
An invaluable component of our oceans, our world. We must do all that we can to ensure their health and survivial on this planet.
# 112:
3:00 pm PDT, May 10, Wendy hale Davis, Texas
way bigger-brained than we are... And we need all the working brains we can get right now.
# 111:
2:59 pm PDT, May 10, Sean Overall, Pennsylvania
# 110:
2:59 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, Massachusetts
a part of us as we are a part of them. Losing one of them is like losing a dear friend. If they could speak,"Human", they would be sure to say, "Let us live!"
# 109:
2:59 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, California
# 108:
2:59 pm PDT, May 10, Alexis Ellis, Colorado
# 107:
2:57 pm PDT, May 10, Debbie Gosselin, Maine
not helped enough,the ocean is there home,and we need to help them
# 106:
2:57 pm PDT, May 10, Heather Walleston, Massachusetts
one of the most unique and beautiful mammals that should never be hunted!!
# 105:
2:55 pm PDT, May 10, Loren Devito, New York
# 104:
2:55 pm PDT, May 10, Lauri Peacock, New Mexico
# 103:
2:55 pm PDT, May 10, Denise Pharries, Washington
# 102:
2:53 pm PDT, May 10, Rein Attemann, Washington
# 101:
2:53 pm PDT, May 10, Carol Watts, Washington
magnificent, highly intelligent mammals that are a key part of the marine ecosystem.
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