Protect Alaska's Oceans - Public Comment Period Ends TODAY!

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Hello All,

 

Please Help Protect Alaska's Ocean Ecosystems. The public comment

period ends April 15, 2004 i.e. TODAY - please sign now!

 

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/284163475

 

Bottom trawling fishing practices are a major threat to Alaska's

diverse and fragile ocean ecosystems. Like clear-cutting of old growth

forests, fishing vessels equipped with bottom tending gear cause

extensive and long-term damage to deepwater coral habitat.

 

Take action to protect our oceans and it's creatures! Please help by

signing this petition. It takes 30 seconds and will really help.

Please forward this email to others you believe share your concern.

 

Thanks,

Auri

 

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/284163475

 

Excerpt .....

 

<b> Alaskan waters are among the world's most diverse, productive and

complex marine ecosystems. The seafloor of the North Pacific Ocean is

adorned with magnificent, yet fragile, communities of deepwater coral

and sponge , which recent scientific studies show provides essential

habitat to fish, crabs and other marine life. Ongoing loss of this

habitat, however, places the health of these remarkable deepwater

ocean ecosystems at risk. </b>

 

Like clear-cutting of old growth forests, bottom trawling fishing

vessels cause extensive damage to deepwater coral habitat, potentially

causing long-term changes to the entire marine ecosystem.

 

For eight years, the federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

has failed to protect Alaska's waters from the harmful effects of

fishing, as required by law. In response to a court order, NMFS has

finally drafted an Essential Fish Habitat Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for the North Pacific, which includes the Gulf of

Alaska, Bering Sea, and Aleutian Islands. This EIS contains several

alternatives to protect habitat from ongoing destruction, but

amazingly recommends taking no action to do so!

 

NMFS must take action to implement measures contained in the Essential

Fish Habitat alternatives to:

 

* Establish a network of marine reserves to fully protect 20 to 30

percent of all marine habitats (Alternative 6), or

* At a minimum, significantly increase protection for sensitive

habitats by requiring less damaging fishing gear and reductions in

allowable catch (Alternative 5-B), and

* Augment Alternative 5-B by adding fully protected " Habitat Areas of

Particular Concern " , such as seamounts, pinnacles, coral gardens, and

submarine canyons.

 

Sign this petition to submit your public comments to support

protecting Alaska's marine habitats from harmful fishing practices!

The public comment period ends April 15, 2004 - please sign today!

 

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/284163475