Turtle Island Restoration Network is leading the charge to phase out deadly driftnets. More than 250 scientists and more than 30 organizations representing 1 million members have joined us.
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Over 250 scientists released a joint scientific letter opposing the deadly California driftnet fishery for swordfish, which has some of the highest bycatch rates in the world. The letter, coordinated by Turtle Island Restoration Network, specifically requests that immediate action be taken to phase out the fishery and protect the ecological integrity of California’s coastal waters.
More than 30 environmental, ocean, conservation, and activist organizations representing over 1 million members signed on to a joint letter today led by Turtle Island Restoration Network calling on California Senators and Assemblymembers to support Senate Bill 1114. This bill would end the most harmful fishing practice on the West Coast by reducing the number of damaging driftnets off the California coast by phasing out remaining driftnet fishing permits and transitioning to more sustainable deep-set buoy gear.
Turtle Island’s new report ‘The Economic Argument Against the California Driftnet Fishery’ outlines how the California driftnet fishery costs more to operate than the wealth that is created by the fishery. The just-released-report examines new data that shows the cost of regulating this dirty fishery would substantially decrease if the California swordfish fishery used more sustainable gear instead of mile-long driftnets.
Today the California Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water voted 6-0 to support Senate Bill (SB) 1114 to phase out the use of mile-long driftnets in California waters. The innovative bill sponsored by Turtle Island Restoration Network and authored by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) lays out a commonsense transition plan to phase out the use of these mile-long nets to a new, more environmentally responsible fishing method using deep-set buoy gear.
This morning our legislative effort to phase out the deadly California driftnet fishery passed its first hurdle! Turtle Island Restoration Network was in Sacramento today to speak in favor of our sponsored bill, Senate Bill 11114, which Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) authored.
Turtle Island ’s new report ‘California Driftnet Fishery: The True Costs of a 20th Century Fishery in the 21st Century – Sea Turtle Impacts’ outlines how the California driftnet fishery for swordfish is among the most harmful fisheries in the U.S. to endangered sea turtles.
Turtle Island is the sponsor of a new bill authored by Senator Ben Allen designed to protect California’s marine wildlife by ending the use of deadly driftnets in California. The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 1114, will end the most harmful fishing practice on the West Coast by transitioning California’s swordfish industry away from driftnets to more sustainable fishing technology.
enator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) announced today he will author legislation to protect California’s marine wildlife by ending the use of deadly drift gillnets off our coast.