For Immediate Release, August 10, 2026
Contacts: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org
Brittany McWhorter, Gulf Environmental Program Coordinator, brittany@seaturtles.org 

Gulf Coast Communities Rally in Galveston to Defend the Endangered Species Act:
Turtle Island Restoration Network to lead local Day of Action calling on Congress to protect Gulf species from offshore drilling threats

GALVESTON, TEXAS — On Saturday, August 15th, coastal communities will come together in Galveston for a rally calling to uphold protection of endangered wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico and urging Congress to take action following a decision that removed Endangered Species Act protections from more than 20 Gulf species in connection with offshore oil and gas activities.

Led locally by Turtle Island Restoration Network, the Galveston rally is part of a Gulf-wide  Action bringing together communities across the five Gulf states to demonstrate that people care deeply about the wildlife, ecosystems, and waters that define the Gulf of Mexico.

“Endangered species protection has been in place since 1973, and it has worked to bring several species, including the Texas state sea turtle- the Kemp’s ridley, back from the brink of extinction”, said Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director. “For the past 50 years the oil and gas industry has worked in the Gulf, making record breaking profits, with this protection in place. The decision to eliminate this protection must be reversed to ensure the long-term health and continued existence of all threatened and endangered animals in the Gulf.  

For more than five decades, the Endangered Species Act has provided critical protections for wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. But at the end of March, a government committee made a decision that environmental advocates say puts those protections, and the future of Gulf wildlife, at risk. The exemption allows offshore oil and gas activities to move forward despite the potential consequences for more than 20 endangered and threatened Gulf species.

Among those at risk are the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, which depend on Gulf beaches to nest; and Rice’s whales, with only approximately 51 individuals remaining. Other species affected include manatees, queen conchs, smalltooth sawfish, and coral species that cannot simply relocate when their habitat becomes unsafe.

The threat is particularly immediate for sea turtles. Every summer, thousands of hatchlings emerge from nests along Gulf beaches and make the perilous journey to the water. Once they enter the Gulf, they face a host of natural and human-caused threats, including those associated with offshore industrial activity.

The Galveston rally will give local residents, conservation advocates, families, and visitors an opportunity to stand together for these species and call on Congress to pass the Protect Gulf Life Act and use every available congressional oversight tool to restore Endangered Species Act protections for Gulf wildlife threatened by offshore drilling.

Community members are encouraged to bring their best sea turtle and Rice’s whale signs and join the rally to use their voices for Gulf wildlife, or join us on Thursday, August 13 at the Naked Iguana Brewery for a sign making workshop, details here.

Event Details:
–What: Rally for Gulf Wildlife / Gulf Coast Day of Action
–When: Saturday, August 15, 2026, 10–11 a.m. Central
–Where: Balinese Room Pier marker, 2107 Seawall, Galveston, TX
–Who: Hosted by Turtle Island Restoration Network’s Gulf of Mexico team, in collaboration with the Endangered Species Coalition

To learn more about this event, visit https://seaturtles.org/event/rally-for-gulf-wildlife-august-15/
To sign on in support of the Protect Gulf Life Act, visit https://seaturtles.org/action-alert-urge-your-legislators-to-support-the-protect-gulf-life-act-h-r-8919-beyer-bill/ 

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.

Article written by Communications Intern, Desmond de Jesus. 

Every meaningful movement begins with people deciding that change is possible.

Plastic Free July is no different. What started as a grassroots campaign has grown into a global movement, encouraging millions to rethink their relationship with single-use plastics—not because one reusable water bottle or grocery bag will solve the plastic crisis overnight, but because lasting change happens when communities act together.

It can be easy to look at the scale of plastic pollution and wonder if individual actions matter. After all, what difference does one less plastic bottle or one reusable shopping bag make? There’s a saying that puts this into perspective: “It’s just one bottle,” said seven billion people. If billions of small choices helped create today’s plastic problem, then billions of different choices can help create tomorrow’s solution. Jane Fonda reminds us, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Progress depends on millions moving in a similar direction, streamlining a foundational positive mindset, all while adapting and learning each other’s needs.

Plastic Free July is also an opportunity to look beyond daily habits and ask bigger questions about the systems producing so much plastic, and how those systems shape our scope on individuality. For decades, consumers have been misled to believe recycling alone would solve plastic pollution. Yet despite those promises, only a small fraction of plastic waste in the United States is recycled (About 5%), while plastic production continues to increase.

Many of the same industries producing plastic now promote another supposed solution: “chemical recycling,” sometimes called “advanced” or “molecular” recycling. While the name suggests innovation, many of these processes heat plastics into fuels and petrochemical feedstocks rather than creating new recyclable materials. Often, the process still depends on new fossil fuel-based plastic while generating greenhouse gas emissions, toxic waste, and hazardous pollutants. Rather than reducing plastic dependence, these technologies risk extending it, all while pushing an agenda centered around your individualism being the root of their negative impacts.

Progress against these large corporations who pull the strings behind today’s hyper-individualistic society will be defined by communities collectively reducing plastic consumption at its source. Investing in refill and reuse systems, supporting policies that hold polluters accountable, and demanding honest conversations from our leadership about what sustainability truly looks like before more damage is done is of utmost importance to mitigate consequences of plastic pollution that extend far beyond our own communities.

Every year, marine animals encounter plastic debris in the waters they depend on to survive. Sea turtles mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, seabirds feed plastic fragments to their chicks, marine mammals become entangled in discarded fishing gear, and microscopic plastics continue to move through ocean food webs in ways scientists are still working to understand. Protecting marine life begins long before plastic reaches the waterways. Check out our Gulf programs to combat marine debris here!

At Turtle Island Restoration Network, this belief guides our daily work; healthy oceans require more than cleanup efforts after the fact. They require preventing pollution before it begins, and advancing policies that prioritize wildlife, coastal communities, and long-term environmental health over short-term industry profits.

Plastic Free July reminds us that our hope is not passive but empowered through a collective consciousness. It grows when neighbors inspire neighbors, when communities organize around shared values, and when people choose to believe that their voices—and their actions—are part of something much larger than just themselves.

No single person will solve the plastic crisis alone, nor are you expected to. But together, we can use our choices, our advocacy, and our willingness to question false solutions to help ensure marine life is ethically monitored and future generations of humanity will inherit a cleaner and healthier Blue-Green planet.

Plastic Free July campaign graphics by Elsie Barcena.

Galveston ghost wolves play with a soccer ball after dark by Nicolas Ledesma-Lubertino.

A 351-acre real estate development, known as “Discovery Sands”, has been proposed next to Jamaica Beach in Galveston’s West End. The project will place 733 new lots, 213 condos, and a tourist attraction in an ecologically sensitive coastal area. The developer is seeking approval of Planned Urban Development (PUD) #26P-009, which allows them to request exceptions (variances) from standard development rules. A revised plan was released, but key concerns remain.

The requested exemptions would allow higher-intensity development next to over 100 acres of marsh that were restored. Not only do marshes support vulnerable species like the local Ghost Wolves population, but they are also major mitigates of coastal storms. Key elements that remain undefined or are not included as required conditions in the PUD include:

1. A wildlife corridor: The proposed wildlife corridor is not clearly defined, mapped, or included as a required element of the PUD. It should require a clearly defined wildlife corridor from the bay to FM 3005. Galveston’s west end is home and visited by many unique and vulnerable wildlife populations including Ghost Wolves and the Eastern Black Rail. This development will not only disrupt the marshes, but also introduce increased noise, and light pollution into surrounding habitats.
2. Wastewater treatment: Wastewater treatment has not been clearly outlined in the current plan. It is unclear how wastewater will be treated or how the system will perform under flooding conditions. This raises a huge concern about water quality and system reliability during storms and king tides. Well managed and maintained wastewater treatment is extremely important for Galveston to protect our delicate ecosystems and to safeguard public health.
3. Building Height: The variances would allow expansion of building heights up to about 120 feet through additional roof structures and screening. This does not reflect what is being publicly represented and exceeds typical coastal development scale. Transparency is extremely important for any coastal development project, but especially one to this scale that is expected to have such a large environmental impact. The west end of Galveston represents an invaluable refuge for migratory birds including sandhill cranes, one of North America’s largest crane species. Galveston Island also sits along the central flyway migratory path and provides a crucial stop for billions of birds.
4. Use of Variances through the PUD: The project is relying on several variances instead of meeting standard development guidelines; these variances are being used to shape the project instead of requiring compliance with current rules. Approving these variances without clear requirements has real impacts for Galveston’s environment and long-term development.

1) Testify in Person:
Community members can sign up to speak when they arrive. Public testimony is limited to approximately 3 minutes per speaker.

• City Council Meeting Thursday, June 25th at 5:00 PM Galveston City Hall 823 Rosenberg St, Room 204 Galveston, Texas 77554

2) Submit a Written Comment: 

Community members can also submit written comments directly to City Council. Written public comments are provided to City Council prior to regular meetings, but are not read aloud during the meeting.

• Submit a comment online: City of Galveston Public Comment Form

3) Contact City Council Members:

Even if you cannot attend the meeting, a brief email to City Council members can help demonstrate community concern and support for stronger project conditions.

• When reaching out follow these guidelines:
  • Reference PUD #26P-009 (Discovery Sands)
  • Require a clearly defined wildlife corridor from the bay to FM 3005
  • Require a detailed wastewater treatment plan
  • Set a clear and enforceable building height
  • Limit unnecessary variances
• City Council Members:
  • John Paul Listowski, Mayor – johnlistowski@GalvestonTX.Gov
  • Sharon B. Lewis, District 1 – sharonlewis@galvestonTX.gov
  • Jeffrey Taylor, District 2 – jeffreytaylor@GalvestonTX.Gov
  • Bob Brown, District 3 – bobbrown@GalvestonTX.Gov
  • Alex Porretto, District 4 – alexporretto@GalvestonTX.gov
  • Michael Niebuhr, District 5 – michaelniebuhr@GalvestonTX.Gov
  • Jason Hardcastle, District 6 – jasonhardcastle@GalvestonTX.Gov

Additional Resources:

• BCWK website event- Meeting info. & Resources
• Discovery Sands Action Guide- Background and Talking Points
• Facebook Event- Shareable event page
• Project Application Materials- Updated Material Submitted by Applicant

Header photo: A surface mooring deployed by the Ocean Observatories Initiative. Credit: Sheri N. White © WHOI, Image from work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Ocean Observatories Initiative.

Today is World Oceans Day, and it comes at a pivotal moment for ocean wildlife. The deep blue produces every other breath we take, supports countless species and connects communities across the globe. Yet, perpetual threats from extractive industries to endangered species fighting for survival, the wildlife and ecosystems we depend on need strong advocates now more than ever.

The good news? Conservation progress happens when we refuse to stay silent! As we celebrate World Oceans Day and kick off Sea Turtle Week, we’re inviting you to take three meaningful actions to help protect what thrives beneath the surface. Enjoy diving into our impact stats for 2026 so far, thanks to the help of supporters like you, and explore our World Ocean Month campaign page here.

1. From Filing a Lawsuit Against the “Extinction Committee” to Introducing “Protect Gulf Life Act” Legislation, We’re Not Backing Down.

The Gulf remains under pressure from offshore oil and gas expansion, putting whales, sea turtles, dolphins, seabirds and countless other species at risk. That’s why we’re working on every front – from advocacy and litigation to scientific analysis and grassroots organizing – to defend wildlife and coastal ecosystems from harmful drilling proposals. Right now, there’s an opportunity to advance stronger protections through the Beyer Bill, which would help safeguard marine ecosystems from the risks of offshore oil development.

Your support powers this work. Visit our World Oceans Month page to learn more about what’s at stake, see the impact supporters like you have already made this year, and make a gift to help us continue defending Gulf wildlife and coastal habitats!

2. Kick Off Sea Turtle Week with Another Record-Breaking Kemp’s Ridley Nesting Season Along the Texas Coast.

Today also marks the start of Sea Turtle Week, and we have exciting news to share: The endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle – the world’s rarest and smallest sea turtle species – continues to make remarkable progress along the Texas coast! This nesting season is once again breaking records (593 nests so far), offering hope for the future of a species that once hovered on the brink of extinction. These encouraging milestones are a reminder that conservation works when communities commit to protecting wildlife for the future of our blue-green planet.

3. A Rare Gulf Treasure, Fragile and Frail, Protect the Home of the Rice’s Whale & Shop Discount Codes.

One of the most endangered whales on Earth lives exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico. With an estimated 51 Rice’s whales believed to remain, every effort to raise awareness and support their protection matters. This World Oceans Month, show your support through our limited-edition Rice’s whale Bonfire campaign! Every purchase helps spread awareness about this critically endangered species and supports our work to protect Gulf wildlife.

While you’ve got the shopping with purpose bug, be sure to visit our online shop and take advantage of special World Oceans Month discounts: OCEAN10 & STW2026.

The future of our blue-green planet is in our hands. Whether you make a donation, celebrate sea turtle recovery, wear your support for Rice’s whales, or simply speak up for wildlife, your actions help create a future where oceans – and the species that depend on them – can thrive. The truth remains: The ocean is for wildlife, not spills. And while wildlife can’t vote, we can. Thank you for standing with us, and happy World Oceans Day!

By Jessica Garces, SPAWN Habitat Restoration Intern

Historically in West Marin, “monarch butterflies have been noted in huge beautiful numbers at “butterfly trees” in Bolinas and Stinson Beach since the turn of the last century and not too long after that in Muir Beach. We don’t know (yet) what happened before the coastal forests were gone but many speculate that they’d pause, sometimes for days to weeks, in the coastal groves of bishop pine and redwood trees as they traveled towards and down the coast to their favored place to tuck for the winter: the cypress and pine forests of the Santa Cruz and Monterey peninsulas to Cambria (the range of the Monterey Pine). This pause could have been to nectar, to be in a cool place during a heat wave or smoky period. In the early 1980s an inventory was done through a WWF grant to the Xerces Society to do a thorough inventory of overwintering sites. This became the base for the CA Natural Diversity Data Base, and eventually grew into a community science effort to continue regular monitoring. Thus, the decline of the overwintering population, loss of sites and other changes have been documented since.”- Mia Monroe, co-founder of the Marin Monarch Working Group and Western Monarch Count at the Xerces Society. 

Western monarchs breed during the spring and summer as they fly north along the western U.S and southern Canada in search of milkweed plants to lay their eggs. As fall approaches, the migratory population will travel south to find appropriate habitat for them to overwinter along the California coast, Baja and Arizona. This migratory generation lives 6-9 months, compared to the 2-5 weeks of earlier generations, and will go through a hibernation-like period called diapause. During diapause, the butterflies’ reproductive organs do not fully develop until after winter and their activities are restricted to sunning, rehydrating, and feeding on nectar. Overwintering habitat sites provide a microclimate suitable for the diapause stage of their life cycle, and are a crucial element to the survival of the western monarch. In recent years, the population of the western monarch butterfly has declined significantly. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the western migratory population is down more than 95% since the 1980s, and less than 12,260 butterflies were counted this winter, the third lowest count on record. The causes of this drastic population decline are thought to be driven by a combination of pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change. 

But there is hope! AB 2254 is a bill that seeks to strengthen protections for coastal monarch butterfly overwintering sites in California, and is soon to be presented to the California Assembly. If passed, AB 2254 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife, in coordination with the California Coastal Commission, to identify western monarch butterfly overwintering habitat sites in coastal zones, provide guidance to local governments on model policies to protect monarch overwintering habitat (including habitat restoration and enhancement), and mandate that sites with confirmed overwintering habitat develop and implement enforceable monarch butterfly overwintering habitat site protection. Please join us in supporting this bill by reaching out to your California Assembly Member today and urge them to vote AYE on AB 2254 via https://win.newmode.net/ab2254-monarch-ca.

The Xerces Society served as a primary advocate for this bill, and has spearheaded many projects to protect the monarch butterfly, including the Western Monarch Count, an intensive community science project to monitor western monarch populations across California. They have done incredible science-based conservation work, and SPAWN is proud to have donated plants grown at our California Native nursery.

Here in Marin County, the Marin Monarch Working Group (MMWG) hosts training and monitoring opportunities for the general public and completes habitat restoration projects to restore western monarch habitats in private and public spaces. We have also donated milkweed to support their restoration efforts, and are grateful for our partnership. They are an excellent resource for local folks looking to get involved in monarch conservation- check out their upcoming events on their website at https://www.marinmonarch.com. SPAWN is grateful to be a part of such an important cause, and contribute to environmental conservation in West Marin!

Sources for further learning: 

• Virtual interview with Mia Monroe, co-founder of the Marin Monarch Working Group and Western Monarch Count at the Xerces Society.
• Monarch Joint Venture – Migration article
• Western Monarch Trail
• California State Parks Foundation – Ideal Home for Western Monarch Butterflies article
• Smithsonian Magazine – Butterflies are in Dramatic Decline Across North America article

Header photo credit: NOAA.

Header photo credit: NOAA.

For over 400 million years, many species of sharks have played critical roles in maintaining ocean ecosystems.

Today, there are over 500 shark species, and their function in the ocean varies greatly, ranging from the gentle whale shark that can grow to 32 feet in length, weigh over 20 tons while filter feeds on plankton, krill,  and small schooling fish and their eggs, to the dominant and fierce, marine predators such as the 15-foot white and 14-foot tiger shark as adults that feed on among other things marine mammals.  Some sharks are tiny, the smallest being the 8 inch dwarf lanternshark, which lives at depths of over 1,000 feet and feeds on organisms smaller than itself.

As humans fear of sharks has matured into an understanding that they are both essential to marine health, and now threatened with extinction, legislation has flourished over the past two decades, covering 70% of the world’s oceans, most commonly to prevent shark finning to reduce shark mortality from commercial fishing.

But shark finning legislation  hasn’t worked, according a study, Global shark fishing mortality still rising despite widespread regulatory change, published in one of the world’s top academic journals, Science 2024.

The authors report that between 2012-2019 shark deaths from fishing increased globally from 76 million to 80 million sharks per year, and that nearly 25 million of these shark species are endangered with extinction.

A consequence of the shark-finning regulations has reduced animal cruelty and waste, yet it is actually leading to an increase in shark consumption by people around the world, which may grow this market and ultimately increase the threats to shark survival.

Stronger action is needed in two areas: Regulate fishing to minimize impacts on unwanted catch of species and control effort to prohibit overfishing of targeted species; and one of the best ways to protect sharks and marine biodiversity generally is to create no-take marine reserves.  The good news is that some well-managed coastal no-take zones and some larger offshore no-take protected areas are allowing some shark population to increase and stabilize.

Unfortunately, at least in the US, the Trump administration has moved to roll back protections from marine reserves. In April 2025, President Trump issued an executive order calling for a review of existing marine monuments, followed by a proclamation opening the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine Monument south of Hawaii to commercial fishing. On February 6, 2026, he signed a further proclamation opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing as well.

Turtle Island is working to keep sharks alive, concentrating efforts now on maintaining and increasing protection for marine reserves in the US and around the world. Now, you have the opportunity to speak out to protect sharks in the Atlantic as NOAA Fisheries is considering a dangerous rollback of protections after pressure from fishing interests claiming sharks are “overpopulated.” Act fast! The comment deadline closes on May 29, 2026.

We need your help! Please take additional action by:

1. Signing this petition to protect Northeast Canyons monument here.
2. Demanding Costa Rica to complete their portion of the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway here.
3. Signing up to receive actions from the TIRN Action Center here.

Header photo credit: NOAA.