(NaturalNews) Sea turtle populations have fallen dramatically in the coastal areas of the United States over the past several decades, with some sea turtle populations plummeting as much as 80 percent. Three key conservation groups are now suing the U.S. government for failing to enforce laws designed to protect these endangered marine species: Oceana (
www.Oceana.org), the Center for Biological Diversity (
www.BiologicalDiversity.org) and the Turtle Island Restoration Network (
www.SeaTurtles.org).
At stake is the future of not merely sea turtles, but the biological diversity they represent. If nothing is done to stop the
population collapse, sea turtle populations could become "functionally extinct," the groups warn.
And yet each of these three groups has been trying to do something: Twelve months ago, they filed petitions with the
National Marine Fisheries Service and the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. But the petitions were essentially ignored. These
government offices sat back and watched sea turtle populations continue to decline even as they failed to enforce their own laws and regulations that would have protected the sea turtles.
"This is a classic example of the Fisheries Service dragging its feet," said David Allison, senior campaign director at Oceana. "Sea turtles can't continue to wait for these essential protections. More sea turtles will be caught and killed with each passing day, pushing them closer to extinction."
The petitions call for sea turtles in some areas to be upgraded to "endangered" status -- a move that would bring them additional protections. They also call for strengthened protections of sea turtles' nesting beaches and marine habitats.
The situation is urgent. "Loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles have roamed
the oceans for thousands of years, but they might not make it into the next century if we don't do more to protect them right now," said Miyoko Sakashita, staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Delaying protective actions while threats like being captured and killed by indiscriminate commercial
fishing gear, nesting beach destruction, and climate change continue to accelerate makes it that much harder to pull the species back from the brink."
What's most astonishing about all this, of course, is that
laws already exist to protect sea turtles, but the U.S. government has failed to enforce them. "We'll see the end of sea turtles in our lifetimes if we don't stop them from drowning on fishing hooks and in nets," said Teri Shore, program director at the Turtle Island Restoration Network. "The U.S. must enforce its own laws."
NaturalNews strongly supports the efforts of these groups, and we recently donated $5,000 in advertising space to Oceana.org to help spread awareness about the need to save our sea turtles.
Again, this isn't merely about sea turtles. The loss of sea turtle population is a classic "canary in a coal mine" scenario, where the declining populations of these ancient creatures is merely an indicator of the accelerating collapse of marine
life on our planet.
Human beings are destroying the oceans through rampant overfishing, pollution and even carbon dioxide emissions (which acidify the ocean water). If we continue this course, we we'll lose much more than sea turtles: We'll lose the aquatic biodiversity that ultimately keeps us all alive.
Destroy the oceans and you ultimately destroy yourself. Modern human civilization hasn't yet achieved the basic maturity to understand that, unfortunately. But non-profit groups like Oceana.org are working very hard to change this attitude and teach people about the importance of marine habitats (and the creatures that live in them).
Please consider offering your own financial support to these groups, as they are engaged in very important work that could play a huge role in keeping our planet habitable for the next thousand years.
Speak your mind to the U.S. government offices now being sued
Help get the message across that
sea turtles are worth saving. Contact the
National Marine Fisheries Service and urge them (politely, please) to help save the sea turtles:
Website:
www.nmfs.noaa.govEmail: cyber.fish@noaa.gov
Phone numbers:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ocs/contactus.htmU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceWebsite:
http://www.fws.gov/Contact details of nationwide offices and phone numbers:
http://www.fws.gov/offices/Be nice when talking to these people, but also be firm. You have a right to speak your mind to these government officials. After all, your taxes pay their salaries!
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher, author and award-winning journalist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In 2010, Adams co-founded NaturalNews.TV, a natural health video sharing site that has now grown in popularity. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder of a well known HTML email software company whose 'Email Marketing Director' software currently runs the NaturalNews subscription database. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and regularly pursues cycling, nature photography, Capoeira and Pilates. He's also author of numerous health books published by Truth Publishing and is the creator of several consumer-oriented grassroots campaigns, including the Spam. Don't Buy It! campaign, and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. He also created the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the ending of corporate control over medicines, genes and seeds.
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Friday, May 29, 2009
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