Brief Summary
Overview
Environment California is working to pass cutting-edge policy at the federal level to protect our ocean for future generations. While there is a lot to be done, we are focusing on convincing the Bush administration to abandon its attempt to rollback protections for our oceans and instead support strong oceans policy. We are also urging Gov. Schwarzenegger to adopt a proposal to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) off the coast of central California. Some key issues we want to address are:
Stopping overfishing. Industrial overfishing has slashed worldwide populations of large fish like shark and tuna by 90 percent. One third of all marine mammals in U.S. waters, including the Gulf of California porpoise, are threatened with extinction. Proposed Bush administration rollbacks on protections against overfishing would make this problem even worse. Environment California is working to convince the administration to abandon its proposed weakening of ocean protections.
Banning dangerous fishing practices off the coast of California. Numerous marine species off the coast of California, including the sea turtle and California sea otter, are endangered. Much of this destruction is due to careless fishing practices that kill and injure non-target species. Each year, for example, more than 40,000 sea turtles are killed or injured when unintentionally tangled in fishing nets. Environment California is working to convince federal lawmakers to pass policies that will restrict the influence of industrial fishing special interests that allow these practices to continue.
Creating Marine Protected Areas off the California coast. In 1999, California passed the Marine Life Protection Act. The Marine Life Act requires the state to strengthen its management of the oceans by creating an effective, science-based network of marine protected areas. Currently, less than five percent of the state’s coastal waters are fully protected.
Despite broad support for the law, the state struggled with implementation until Gov. Schwarzenegger announced ifn September, 2004 that the Marine Life Act would be a priority under his Ocean Plan.
Now the governor has until November, 2006 to chose an ocean protection plan that will protect California’s oceans to the fullest extent.
How you can help
Write the governor and urge him to adopt the
strongest possible plan to protect our oceans.
