NOAA's New Policy Would Be a Death Sentence for North Atlantic Right
Whales
Right whales are teetering on the edge of extinction and we are quickly
running out of time to save them. Submit an official public comment
calling on NOAA to immediately adopt stronger protections that will save
critically endangered right whales before it’s too late.
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[ NRDC ]NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)
Dear NRDC Activist,
There are only about 360 North Atlantic right whales remaining in our
oceans today. This majestic species is careening toward extinction in
large part because of collisions with vessels and fishing gear
entanglements, and we are quickly running out of time to save them.
President Biden's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
has the authority and responsibility to protect right whales before it's
too late. But the latest plan they inherited from the Trump administration
doesn't just fall short — it would be a death sentence for this critically
endangered species.
NOAA is inviting the public to comment on its deeply inadequate protection
plan — but only until March 1. [ [link removed] ]So we need as many people as possible to
raise their voices now in defense of North Atlantic right whales.
[ [link removed] ]Submit your public comment to NOAA now and help us overwhelm them with
letters calling for stronger protections that stand a chance of saving
this majestic species.
Since 2011, fishing gear entanglements and vessel collisions have killed
or seriously injured about 218 North Atlantic right whales — that's
roughly 24 whales per year.
Here's why that matters so much: With so few right whales left, the death
or serious injury of less than one North Atlantic right whale a year is
unsustainable if the species is to recover.
NOAA should take forceful and immediate action to prevent fishing gear
entanglements, which are the leading cause of death for right whales.
Instead, they are proposing measures that are so weak they stand no chance
of curbing the species' precipitous decline.
The good news is we know how to fix this. [ [link removed] ]Join me in calling on NOAA to
immediately take action to save North Atlantic right whales by:
* Factoring in significant new scientific information that shows right
whales are declining more rapidly than previously thought and need
even stronger protections
* Strengthening its proposed plan so that it reduces the risk of serious
injury and mortality of North Atlantic right whales to a level that
will allow the species to recover
* Using its authority to implement emergency measures to immediately
protect right whales from dangerous entanglements, such as fishing
closures in certain areas where the risk of entanglement is high
* Ramping up its efforts to test and expand the use of ropeless fishing
gear, which virtually eliminates the risk of entanglement and enables
fishermen to safely fish alongside North Atlantic right whales
NRDC has been working for years to protect North Atlantic right whales
from extinction and there is no time to waste.
[ [link removed] ]Stand up and speak out now by submitting a public comment before the
March 1 deadline.
Thank you for all you do!
Sincerely,
[1]Francine
Francine Kershaw
Staff Scientist, Oceans Division, NRDC
Photo: NOAA NMFS
The mission of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is to
safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural
systems on which all life depends.
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