TAKE ACTION: Oceans at risk - Aug 22nd deadline to stop overfishing!

August 16, 2005

Our ocean ecosystems are at risk and we need your help to protect them before August 22nd! Overfishing (which occurs when fish are caught faster than they can replace themselves) is a serious problem in U.S. waters; currently over a quarter of all commercial fish species are overfished. But right now the Bush administration is poised to take an enormous step backwards by allowing even more overfishing in U.S. waters.

Click here now to send a free message to Dr. William Hogarth, Director of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries to let him know that you're opposed to the Bush administration’s plan. The comment deadline is August 22 - so don't delay, submit your comments now! http://ga3.org/campaign/overfishing/

Last year the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy determined that our oceans are in trouble and that overfishing poses one of the biggest threats to our fragile marine ecosystems. Congress made overfishing illegal in 1996 and since then we've been making slow and hard-won progress toward ending overfishing. But there is still much more work to do to stop this problem. Sadly, the Bush administration is now trying to undo all the progress that has been made since 1996.

As you are reading this, the Bush Administration, acting through NOAA, is proposing to undo the will of Congress and make overfishing legal again. By erasing these protections, many of today’s depleted fish populations including red snapper, cod, Pacific rockfish, and some groupers will be fished to the brink of extinction. That's why we need your help -please submit your comments to NOAA to tell them to keep overfishing protections intact. Your input is vital in the fight to protect our oceans and their resources, preserving their legacy for future generations.

Once you’ve taken action, please forward this message to your friends, family and co-workers urging them to speak up to protect our ocean ecosystems as well! Thanks so much for your help,Katelyn SabochikOnline Campaign Managerinfo