Dear Friend,

July 2007

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Summer’s here and the time is right for fighting hard for a healthier ocean. We’ve been working on a number of issues lately and we could really use your help to turn the tide on a few of them.

Legal victory will protect whales from entanglement
The Humane Society of the United States and Ocean Conservancy have settled a lawsuit with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) aimed at preventing entanglement of endangered whales in commercial fishing gear. NMFS will, by October 1, issue much-needed and overdue protective regulations expected to require the use of modified fishing gear and other conservation measures along the East Coast of the US. Since 2003, eight North Atlantic right whales, 14 humpback whales, and four fin whales have been seriously injured or killed by commercial fishing gear. "We are pleased to have restarted this stalled regulatory process,” said Vicki Cornish, director of marine wildlife conservation at Ocean Conservancy. “This agreement will help us move forward on preventing the extinction of these magnificent and highly endangered species." For more on whales and the settlement, read our press release >>

Ocean Conservancy testifies before Congress on aquaculture
On Thursday, July 12, Tim Eichenberg, director of Ocean Conservancy’s Pacific regional office, was one of five people to testify before a congressional committee on federal legislation (H.R. 2010) that would authorize fish farming in ocean waters. Aquaculture, or the farming of fish and shellfish species, is the fastest growing sector of the global food economy, providing over 40% of all fish products worldwide. The Bush Administration is calling for a five-fold increase in domestic aquaculture production by 2025. "However, unless sustainably and responsibly managed, aquaculture can actually exacerbate declining fisheries and harm marine ecosystems through disease, pollution and the genetic alteration of wild fish," said Eichenberg. Visit our website to learn more about aquaculture, H.R 2010, and what Ocean Conservancy is doing to shape its future >>

Your voice can help save sharks
Sobering scientific reports and long-term pressure from Ocean Conservancy and others have led the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to propose dramatic cuts in fishing for overfished Atlantic shark species and improve the existing ban on shark finning - the wasteful slicing off of a shark’s valuable fins and discarding the body at sea. The proposal is open for public comment until mid-October. “Public support is essential to ensuring that strong fishing limits are included in the final shark plan and implemented before it’s too late,” said Sonja Fordham, director of Ocean Conservancy’s Shark Conservation Program who serves on the NMFS shark advisory panel. To learn more about the Atlantic shark proposals and how you can voice your support for changes, visit: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/sharks/Amendment%202/Email_Notice_SHK_A2_7-19-07.pdf and stay tuned to http://www.oceanconservancy.org/ for upcoming action alerts on the topic.

Skates on thin ice
Skates are in big trouble in the northeast United States. The New England Council is in the process of amending the skate management plan, but the issue desperately needs attention from conservationists. Skates are taken as bycatch in the New England groundfish fishery and are also targeted for their "wings," which are exported to Europe or used as bait. In 2003, Ocean Conservancy fought hard to ensure the first regional skate management plan included stringent limits on catch, protection for depleted species, and requirements for data collection. Alas, the Council watered down the final plan and four years later data has not been reported as planned and the conservation status for most species of skates is still dire or worsening. The amendment process is again dominated by industry and science-based skate fishing limits need strong public support. For more information on the Northeast skate plan, visit: http://www.nefmc.org/skates/index.html and stay tuned to http://www.oceanconservancy.org/.

Incubus and Ocean Conservancy team to prove that music matters
Rock band Incubus have joined Music Matters' “Sustainable Minded Artists Recording and Touring (SMART)” program in an effort to lessen their environmental impact. The band, made up of Southern California surfers, has invited Ocean Conservancy to host a table at its upcoming tour dates where we'll collect names and email addresses for our Ocean Action Network (OAN). Look for Ocean Conservancy staff at the following tour dates: 8/4 - Virgin Festival, Baltimore, MD; 8/12 - Tweeter Center, Boston, MA; 8/30 - Ford Amp, Tampa, FL; 9/3 - Backyard, Austin, TX. For those who can’t make the concerts, you can help us save the ocean anyway by joining our most committed activists in the Ocean Action Network >>

There’s still time for you to help Cook Inlet belugas
In 15 years, the population of Cook Inlet beluga whales has plummeted nearly 60 percent due to hunting, industrial pollution, boat traffic, and the over-development of their habitat. Only about 300 of the white whales remain. In 1999, Ocean Conservancy began pressuring National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list the beluga as endangered, but that request was denied in favor of weaker conservation measures. However, NMFS is once again considering listing the Cook Inlet beluga as an endangered species. Our “belugometer” is showing that over 12,000 Ocean Conservancy activists have weighed in with NMFS in support of belugas. If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to add your voice to the call for listing imperiled beluga whales as endangered >>

International Coastal Cleanup gearing up for September
Ocean Conservancy is gearing up for the next International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) coming to a beach or waterway near you September 15, 2007. Last year 358,617 dedicated volunteers in 68 countries removed seven million pounds of debris from the ocean, rivers, and lakes. Become part of the solution, register for this year’s cleanup at: http://www.oceanconservancy.org/icc

Once again, thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely, Vikki N. Spruill President and CEO Ocean Conservancy

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