March 11, 2004—Today, the US Fisheries Service issued new rules banning California longline fishing from targeting swordfish from a huge swath of the Pacific Ocean. The final rule comes on the heels of an August 2003 decision by the federal Ninth Circuit Court concurring with environmentalists that the Fisheries Service had failed to conduct the proper environmental review before issuing permits to the fishery.
Two environmental organizations filed suit in Federal District Court today seeking to protect the Atlantic white marlin under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). The suit, filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network was brought against the National Marine Fisheries Service, (“NMFS”), an agency within the Department of Commerce charged with managing fisheries and protecting marine species under the ESA.
JANUARY 5, 2004—The California based environmental organization Sea Turtle Restoration Project compliments the “Northeast Distant Fishery Sea Turtle Bycatch Reduction Project” announced yesterday by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a move in the right direction to solve the problem of sea turtle bycatch. However, the plan itself will not stop the slide of the leatherback sea turtle toward extinction.
San Francisco, CA –Today, the UN General Assembly will vote on a resolution encouraging the “banning [of] directed shark fisheries” (Para 48), and “action to reduce or eliminate by-catch…to conserve non-target species taken incidentally in fishing operations” (paras 34-35 ) such as sea turtles, marine mammals and other species.
Honolulu, HI – A coalition of local fishing and environmental groups sued the National Marines Fisheries Service (“NMFS”) in federal court today for its failure to protect the Hawai‘i population of false killer whales from the Hawaii’s industrial longline fishing fleet. NMFS has estimated the population of false killer whales
San Francisco- The Bush administration’s Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, andParks will be served with a lawsuit filed today for failing to take actions to protect an endangered population of Alaskan sea otters.
Injunction will Protect Endangered Sea Turtles from Swordfish Fishery SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, two environmental organizations, in an effort to prevent the extinction of leatherback sea turtles in the…
Swordfishing is a Threat to Human Health and Leatherback Sea Turtles
Chanting “it’s not too late to get swordfish off your plate,” about 50 people of all ages dressed in colorful turtle costumes marched through the busy streets of Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco on Saturday, October 25th, 2003.
Joined by World’s Most Prestigious Scientific and Conservation Organizations
On October 24, 2003, more than 60 Costa Rican biologists from important academic institutions, such as the University of Costa Rica, the National University, the Universidad Latina, and even the Union of Biologists, called on the Costa Rican Minister of the
Environmentalists are taking credit for Red Lobster Restaurant’s decision to remove swordfish from their menus throughout the United States. Red Lobster is part of Darden Restaurants Inc., the worlds largest casual dining restaurant company.
