Stop Eco-Labeling of Turtle-Deadly Florida Longline Swordfish Fishery

Thank you to the thousands of people who added their comments before the May 16th deadline. Take action below and continue to send emails in support of sea turtle conservation! Your support for this issue will be recorded, and we will continue our sustainable seafood campaigns for many years.

The Marine Stewardship Council is currently proposing certification of a high-bycatch longline swordfish fleet that operates offshore of Florida in the U.S. Atlantic. Giving this deadly and wasteful fishery the seal of sustainability with Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) eco-label would be environmentally irresponsible due to the significant levels of by-catch of endangered and threatened sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds and fish species including bluefin tuna, billfish, rays and shark.

Not only is the fishery deadly to sea turtles, but swordish is harmful to your health because of mercury contamination. The U.S. FDA warns mothers and children not to eat swordfish and to severely restrict tuna consumption. See www.GotMercury.org

Read our fact sheet about bycatch in the longline swordfish fishery proposed for certification.

Photo of loggerhead sea turtle hooked on deck of longline vessel. MarMas/Oceana photo

Take Action Now!  Email the letter below to stop eco-certification of the Florida longline fishery for swordfish and then share this alert with your friends. Next, use the contact info at the bottom of the page to call, fax, and write more letters to save sea turtles!