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We, the Undersigned, endorse the following petition:

Threatened Oceans: Help Save the Striped Bass

Target: National Marine Fisheries Service
Sponsor: Oceana
  • Signatures: 6,417
  • Goal: 10,000
  • Deadline: 9-21-2005
The striped bass is one of the most prized catches in sport fishing. However, trawlers in the New England groundfish fishery are severely threatening this fish population, turning valuable sport fish into discarded bycatch.

Although the striped bass population has been recovering since its collapse in the 1970s, wasteful fishing practices that disregard the annual fall migration of the stripers are threatening to once again devastate this fish population.

At least 289,000 pounds of striped bass were wasted in 2002 alone - an amount greater than 25% of the total commercial catch of striped bass in New England in 2002. If trawlers would just move off the striper superhighway while traffic was coming through, the problem would be solved.

The fall migration of the striped bass is quickly approaching. This tragic waste benefits no one. And with this year's migration nearly upon us, we must act to make sure it isn't repeated again this year.

Oceana is working to get the trawlers off the striper superhighway -- but we need your help to convince the government to act before it's too late!

Please sign this petition to take action to stop the waste of striped bass!

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Number Date Prefix Name Personalize your letter: why must we stop wasteful fishing practices
6,417 11:16 am PDT, Sep 30 Mrs. Kimberly Tilley  
6,416 9:13 am PST, Jan 19   Joe Budzienski  
6,414 7:42 am PDT, Sep 17 Mr. Joseph D. Jones LAWS NEED TO BE THE SAME ALL THROUGHOUT AMERICA ON LEGTH AND BAG LIMIT. THE COMMERCIAL FISHING OF STRIPER SHOULD BE OUTLAWED. I CAUGHT A 35 IN STRIPER THE OTHER DAY AND I THREW IT BACK BECAUSE OF THE LAWS IN MAINE.THIS HAS BEEN THE ONLY ONE IVE CAUGHT AND IVE PROBABLY FISHED 150+ HOURS IN OVER 7 LOCATIONS. KEEPERS IN MAINE ARE 20-26IN AND 40+.1 BAG LIMIT. THEN I GO ONLINE AND SEE 10 PEOPLE WITH A STRIPER IN EACH HAND FROM 12-40 IN AND A PILE OF THEM IN FRONT OF THEM ALL....WHEN WILL IT SROP?
6,413 1:54 pm PDT, Jul 23   greta malkotzoglou  
6,412 2:49 pm PDT, Jul 2 Ms. Fancy Macdonald  
6,411 7:44 am PST, Feb 2   DR NEILSON PHD  
6,409 12:24 pm PST, Dec 24   Peter Neathery  
6,408 6:37 am PDT, Oct 7 Mrs. brandy cummings dolphins and whales are amazing creatures. the fact people are killin them blows my mind.they dont deserve 2 be hunted&killed off.they deserve 2 live the same as humans!!!
6,407 2:39 pm PDT, Aug 29   Jack Vollman  
6,406 9:00 am PDT, Jun 5 Ms. Nadia Almendarez We have to try to save the marine life! There are many important facts that we have to know: DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE ONLY 300 NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES LEFT IN THE WORLD? CORAL REEFS ARE DYING!!!! WE CAN SAVE THE ANIMALS!! **JUST SUPPORT**
6,405 8:54 am PDT, Jun 5 Ms. carolyn butler  
6,404 8:51 am PDT, Jun 5 Ms. li salazar ssave the animals please
6,403 8:51 am PDT, Jun 5 Ms. Nilsa Rivera This wasteful fishing practice is so harmful to the animals that live in the waters. The fish are dying and the whales are getting more and more sick. If there is no fish then no more seafood!!!!!!!! No!!!!!!!!+
6,402 9:07 am PDT, May 25   Ariana Disla Because it`s leading to other bigger problems and it is affecting the marine life food chain. =/
6,401 5:15 pm PST, Feb 13   Aiz T  
6,400 6:05 pm PST, Jan 22 Mr. Jason Bowman  
6,399 7:59 am PST, Jan 20 Mrs. Susan Krol We have to stop ingoring the needs of nature. Humans need to become better at sharing.
6,398 3:55 pm PST, Jan 12 Mr. Robert Bova The Striped Bass in my opinion should have gamefish statis It should be off limits to commercial fishing
6,397 11:38 am PST, Nov 30   Jennifer Megeney  
6,396 7:04 am PDT, Oct 26   Michele Quintric  
6,395 9:36 pm PDT, Oct 17   mohammed Rami overfihing means no food for fish itself and human been afterwords
6,394 7:16 pm PDT, Oct 14   Tomy Woodson  
6,393 1:47 pm PDT, Oct 7 Ms. Tanjania King We must stop wasteful fishing practices because all of the thousands of fish will be extinct
6,392 10:26 am PDT, Sep 17   Carl Propst Because the fishing trawlers are catching too much striped bass that are discarded as waste. They need to modify their methods of netting fish to prevent the dwindling population of the striped bass.
6,391 11:50 am PDT, Sep 7   siraporn krasaeath  
6,390 9:43 am PDT, Aug 31   patricia cohen  
6,389 7:20 am PDT, Aug 28   Linda Bonura  
6,388 7:49 pm PDT, Aug 16   Karyn Hawley  
6,387 3:58 am PDT, Aug 11   Amy Stroud  
6,386 1:29 am PDT, Aug 10   Amy Clifton  
6,385 12:16 pm PDT, Jul 25 Mr. Walter F. Putnam I have observed periods of decline due to pollution; I have seen to much evidence of over-harvesting and gross neglect for the sake of a dollar. If we don't take appropriate action now, what do we leave for our kids?
6,384 10:01 pm PDT, Jul 23   KARLA GLOOR  
6,383 5:54 pm PDT, Jul 1   Connie Paterson  
6,382 8:08 pm PDT, Jun 28   Black Cat Cause soon there will be NO more fish of any kind.Thanks
6,381 9:35 pm PDT, Jun 27   Nita Anderson  
6,380 5:10 pm PDT, Jun 27 Ms. Brenda Schenk Because it's a "waste." We need to protect our food sources for the future. We can't afford to waste anything.
6,379 6:34 am PDT, Jun 27 Mrs. Linda Thorburn Because it is for the welfare of the oceans not the welfare of profit.
6,378 2:38 pm PDT, Jun 26   Denise Medeiros  
6,377 2:36 pm PDT, Jun 26   Georgia F.  
6,376 2:27 pm PDT, Jun 26   Vicki P. Hines because if we don't preserve and conserve our oceans and marine life that will greatly affect OUR eco system and US!
6,375 2:48 pm PDT, Jun 24 Dr. Anonymous save the fish
6,374 12:06 pm PDT, May 22   Dave Steinmetz  
6,373 4:03 am PDT, May 11   Courtney Linell Every animal deserves to live
6,372 12:52 am PDT, May 9   Candy Bowman-LeBlanc  
6,371 6:39 pm PDT, May 5   Teresita Garza  
6,370 1:33 pm PDT, Apr 17   jeff hopkins  
6,369 1:55 am PDT, Apr 14   Steve Klein  
6,368 12:19 pm PDT, Apr 11   D White  
6,367 9:10 am PST, Mar 27 Ms. Tina Florell  
6,366 2:15 pm PST, Mar 26   Christina Sott It is indeed worse than a word is able to describe it that sentient beings are hunted down and killed, usually unnecessarily, not only for our needs to eat. But to waste that many lives is absolutely impossible! Such simple steps and it could be avoided. So why is it not done? Because noone cares? What a world is this then????
6,365 9:24 pm PST, Mar 25   Crissie Wiseley  
6,364 7:27 am PST, Mar 23   Ryan Mc Kenzie  
6,363 10:57 am PST, Mar 22   D Roy  
6,362 12:52 am PST, Mar 9   Cynthia Carroll  
6,361 5:42 pm PST, Mar 8 Mr. Nikolai Dragnes  
6,360 1:51 am PST, Mar 6 Ms. Emily Meadow  
6,359 4:32 am PST, Mar 4   stephanie lessard  
6,358 1:34 am PST, Feb 24   Anonymous The ocean gives us all so much we must care for it as best we can. Don't destroy the livlihood of others for you own benefit.
6,357 1:27 pm PST, Feb 23   ellen creason  
6,356 7:36 pm PST, Feb 17   Catherine Methot  
6,355 5:42 pm PST, Feb 5   Margarita On The Rocks  
6,354 8:45 am PST, Feb 3   Genie Brooks  
6,353 12:59 pm PST, Feb 2   karen reuther  
6,352 9:08 am PST, Jan 30   Halley Farber  
6,351 3:20 pm PST, Jan 29   Sioux Fletcher  

Threatened Oceans: Help Save the Striped Bass

National Marine Fisheries Service

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens from all walks of American life who are deeply concerned about the ongoing waste of striped bass in the New England groundfish fishery.

The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates that, in 2002, at least 289,000 pounds of striped bass were wasted as "bycatch" by trawlers in that fishery -- an amount greater than 25% of the total commercial catch of striped bass that year in New England!

To simply waste that volume of striped bass is a real tragedy. The striped bass is one of the premier American sport fish, and their population successfully recovered from a collapse that followed from decades of poor management. A healthy population of striped bass -- which seemed unthinkable 20 years ago -- has become a reality. Now is not the time to put that at risk by failing to respond to new threats as they arise.

Additionally, this is not an issue where time is on our side. The annual southward striper migration, which takes place in the autumn, is nearly upon us -- and once again the trawlers are waiting astride the striper superhighway. Delay or indecision will only mean another blow to the striper population.

We therefore call on the National Marine Fisheries Service and the New England Fishery Management Council to take prompt and effective action to limit the damage to the striped bass population in the Atlantic groundfish fishery from this point forward. This will ensure not just that we will know the striped bass, but that our children and grandchildren will as well.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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