Fw: Take Action to Permanently Protect Right Whales

December 12, 2006

" The Ocean Conservancy "

Take Action to Permanently Protect Right Whales

As we reported last month, the National Marine Fisheries Service has

issued a temporary ban on gillnet fishing in the South Atlantic to protect

North Atlantic right whale mothers and calves from accidental entanglement.

Now, there is a lifesaving opportunity to make this temporary ban permanent.

With fewer than 350 right whales remaining, a permanent

seasonal ban on gillnet fishing could be critical to the survival of this

struggling species.

Please take action today and urge the National Marine Fisheries Service to

move forward with its Proposed Rule to enact a permanent ban on gillnet

fishing in the South Atlantic during the right whale calving season.

Take Action

Accidental entanglement in fishing gear is the second leading cause of

death for the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale. Because of

their feeding habits, mothers and calves are especially vulnerable to

entanglement. And the Southeast is an especially important area to provide

protection.

Each November, pregnant female right whales migrate to waters off the

coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida to give birth to and nurse

their newborns. Gillnet fishing has historically occurred in this critical

habitat area the species' only known calving area but the National Marine

Fisheries Service closed the area on an emergency basis after a weeks old

calf was killed by a gillnet entanglement in January 2006.

The agency has taken action to protect the next generation of right whales

from harmful fishing gear, but they need our support to stand

strong and make the calving area gillnet ban permanent. Please take action

today to help prevent another death.

Many thanks,

Kathleen McGoldrick

Vice President, Constituency and Outreach

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