Between July 2006 and the end of 2007, the government estimates that the Gulf of Mexico bottom longline fishery, which targets reef fish like grouper and tilefish, resulted in the capture of nearly 1,000 threatened and endangered sea turtles -- and that in more than 80% of these incidents, the turtles drowned or were injured! Loggerheads nesting on Florida beaches -- the same turtles captured in the Gulf of Mexico bottom longline fishery -- have plummeted by more than 40% over the last decade.
The bottom longline fishery has far exceeded the number of turtles it is allowed to take under the Endangered Species Act. Yet, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has refused to immediately close the fishery. NMFS proposal to allow the fishery to operate while it studies options for reducing the deaths of sea turtles is illegal and misguided.
Please sign our petition to save the lives of sea turtles today, and we will deliver your names and comments to the agency at the end of the month.
0-25 of 3197 signatures
Number
Date
Name
Location
Got something else you want to say?
3197
November 08, 2009
Cornélia PALAZOTTO
Marseille
3196
November 08, 2009
Jean-Luc PALAZOTTO
Marseille
3195
August 23, 2009
Mary Gaither
, GA
this is so sad these poor sea turtles should never be treated like this..have a heart
