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February 29, 2008

Dear Volunteer,

Mark your calendar for Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup scheduled for Saturday, September 20. The Cleanup is more than just a one day event -- it is a cornerstone of our year round efforts to protect the ocean. We hope you will be part of this international movement. For more information on how you can get involved, please visit our web site at http://www.coastalcleanup.org/.

Ocean Conservancy launches SEE Turtles conservation tourism information program
Ocean Conservancy recently launched SEE Turtles, a program that informs people about international organizations who are helping save sea turtles. Well-planned, modest tourism programs can be a huge lift to small-budget turtle conservation programs, providing both support for field efforts, as well as alternatives for local fishermen whose livelihoods would otherwise be destructive to turtles. To learn more about Ocean Conservancy’s SEE Turtles or to get information about planning your vacation, visit: http://www.seeturtles.org/

Power Squadron Takes to the Water
In July of 2007, the environmental team of the Jones Beach Power Squadron created W.A.K.E. U.P.—Waterways Adopted Keep Environments Undamaged and Protected. "Our objective is to emphasize the importance of clean boating and to minimize the impact of boating activities on water quality through education and action," says Squadron Lieutenant LuLu LaBella. Led by LaBella and Lieutenant Karen Flinn, members of the Squadron work with volunteers in the Town of Oyster Bay to coordinate monthly cleanups during the boating season to remove trash and debris from bays, coves, canals, and lakes. They also have a quarterly environmental newsletter packed with educational information about water quality, marine debris, recycling, and best practices for clean boating. Ocean Conservancy applauds the environmental team of the Jones Beach Power Squadron for being stewards of the waterways they enjoy boating on and keeping them clean and safe for all!

NOAA Marine Debris Program Web Education Site - "Marine Debris 101"
NOAA has a new educational section of its website created to inform the public on general information about marine debris, including its sources, impacts and solutions. NOAA has worked with its partners to create an Internet-based educational campaign for marine debris awareness and prevention located on the homepage of the NOAA Marine Debris Program website. Products, tailored to specific audiences such as beachgoers, fishermen, boaters, and students, include an expanded photo database for use by the general public as well as a fun Children's Activity Book. There is also a section designed especially for educators, with a curriculum designed for students K-12.

Visit the NOAA Marine Debris Program website to experience Marine Debris 101 and learn more about the Program: http://www.marinedebris.noaa.gov/

In Vino, Veritas: Ocean Conservancy Starts Wine Club
Ocean Conservancy and Edna Valley Vineyards announce the inception of the Ocean Conservancy Wine Club. Edna Valley Vineyard is nestled in the heart of wine country on California's Central Coast, just south of beautiful San Luis Obispo and famed Morro Bay. The soils there are rich with ancient marine deposits and the valley's east-west orientation accepts the subtle influence of the nearby ocean.

Join our Wine Club and with every quarterly care package you receive, Edna Valley will donate $5 to Ocean Conservancy. Each delivery comes with seasonal food and wine pairing tips, sustainable seafood recipes from celebrity chef Joey Altman, Wine Club member-only invites and more. A limited Ocean Conservancy Wine Club membership is an excellent gift idea for friends and family and a way of sharing your commitment to the ocean. To join the Ocean Conservancy Wine Club call 1-888-390-WINE (9463).

Crab Trap Cleanup in Florida
In early February, Ocean Conservancy coordinated a derelict crab trap cleanup that resulted in the removal of 96 potentially dangerous traps from the waters of Matlacha Pass in Lee County, Florida. Jessica Koelsch, Ocean Conservancy's Manager of Marine Wildlife, worked with staff from local and state agencies to lead a team of 26 volunteers in removing the traps. Thousands of the large, metal Blue Crab traps exist in Lee County alone, and an estimated 25 percent of the traps are derelict. Traps can become derelict when passing boats snag them on a line or storms cause them to drift to different locations. Even though the traps are broken or abandoned, they continue to “ghost fish” as long as they are in the water and they can easily trap and kill wildlife including dolphins and manatees. In fact, more manatees were rescued last year from entanglement than from boat strikes.

To ensure that no working traps are removed from the water, cleanups must be approved by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and volunteers must be trained in how to identify and remove traps. Ocean Conservancy is currently developing a manual with tools and information on how to conduct derelict crab trap cleanups so that other groups across the state can coordinate their own cleanup efforts. Rules and regulations regarding derelict crab trap removal are different in every state.

For more information on this clean-up or how to conduct your own, please contact Jessica Koelsch at jkoelsch@oceanconservancy.org or 727-369-6611.

Sincerely,

Sonya Besteiro
International Coastal Cleanup Manager
Ocean Conservancy

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