EarthJustice Call to Action: Protect ocean habitat from destructive fishing gear 14NOV14

EARTHJUSTICE is the legal muscle defending our environment when the government doesn't do what it is supposed to do and corporate America threatens us and our habitat. There aren't many of us living near the coast of New England, but the fisheries managers there are hell bent on decreasing the established protected areas off the New England coast by 70%. +Earthjustice is asking people to send comments to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries telling them to reject this proposal, click the link to comment. Here's what I sent.....

"It is inconceivable the proposal to roll back habitat protections for fisheries off the New England coast are being seriously considered. With climate change and overall over fishing worldwide there has to be areas where fish and all other marine flora and fauna are protected to the extent they have a fighting chance for survival. The proposal by the New England fisheries managers must be rejected, if it isn't we will be left saying to one another "Remember when New England was known for fresh fish and lobster?"."

TAKE ACTION! Protect ocean habitat from destructive fishing gear Don’t let fishing operations destroy the ocean floor and put whales and other marine wildlife at risk. Take action today. For decades, several important ocean areas off the coast of New England have been protected from destructive fishing gear—areas that are essential habitat for a variety of marine species, from cod to whales. Right now, fisheries managers in New England are considering a plan that would dramatically reduce the overall size of these protected areas, by as much as 70 percent. This would open them to destructive fishing gear, including bottom trawls. Bottom trawling (also known as dragging) strips the ocean floor of life. But we have a chance to prevent this from happening now. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Fisheries) oversees New England fisheries managers and has the final say on this proposal. Earthjustice has been fighting to protect ocean ecosystems for decades, and we need your help to do so again while NOAA Fisheries is accepting public comments on this issue. Recent science shows that in the Gulf of Maine, cod—the region’s iconic fish—are currently at only 3 percent of what is considered a healthy population. Without safe areas to reproduce and grow, cod will never recover. Climate change is also impacting cod; as sea surface temperatures warm, the entire food web is being impacted. This makes habitat protection even more important. Tell NOAA Fisheries that now is not the time to roll back habitat protections for depleted fish species, marine mammals, and seabirds. Sincerely, Brian Smith Oceans Campaign Manager

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Photo Credits:   Top: Healthy sea bottom in the protected zone. (Brian Skerry)  Protect Ocean Habitat from Destructive Fishing Gear For decades, several important ocean areas off the coast of New England have been protected from destructive fishing gear—areas that are essential habitat for a variety of marine species, from cod to whales. Right now, fisheries managers in New England are considering a plan that would dramatically reduce the overall size of these protected areas, by as much as 70 percent. This would open them to destructive fishing gear, including bottom trawls. Bottom trawling (also known as dragging) strips the ocean floor of life. But we have a chance to prevent this from happening now. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Fisheries) overseas New England fisheries managers and has the final say on this proposal. Recent science shows that in the Gulf of Maine, cod—the region’s iconic fish—are currently at only 3 percent of what is considered a healthy population. Without safe areas to reproduce and grow, cod will never recover. Climate change is also impacting cod; as sea surface temperatures warm, the entire food web is being impacted. This makes habitat protection even more important. Everyone has the right to breathe clean air. But we need to fight for it. Tell NOAA Fisheries that now is not the time to roll back habitat protections for depleted fish species, marine mammals, and seabirds. Your personalized message will be added along with the following letter: RE: OA2 DEIS Comments Dear Regional Administrator Bullard, I urge you to follow through with your agency's stated commitments to habitat protection when finalizing New England's Omnibus Habitat Amendment. Ten years in the making, it is a complex document with many alternatives. Unfortunately, short-term economic interests have influenced decision-makers, and most of the options presented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) would significantly weaken habitat protections in New England waters. The Magnuson-Stevens Act is also clear about what makes essential fish habitat--areas in the ocean where fish eat, grow, and spawn. Habitat regulations must protect these areas and minimize adverse impacts from fishing. Now more than ever, NOAA Fisheries must take this responsibility seriously. Many of the groundfish species in New England are overfished, including cod. Warming waters are also affecting the ocean food web on which all marine animals depend. Protecting habitat areas can give the region's marine resources a chance to recover and thrive in the future. NOAA's own "Habitat Blueprint" calls for "increased protection and restoration of habitats," and the agency's strategy for climate change adaptation identifies habitat protection as a top goal for helping fish and other ocean wildlife. As a whole, the amendment does not go far enough to adequately protect habitat. One fundamental flaw is the lack of alternatives to improve spawning protections for fish. The current draft offers only the weak suggestion that this issue will be handled in other agency actions. I strongly urge consideration of alternative areas in each region that are significantly larger and offer greater habitat protection for all critical life stages. Among the alternatives presented for each region, the largest areas should be protected from destructive fishing gear such as bottom draggers and scallop and clam dredges. In the Gulf of Maine, maintaining the current closures is the best choice available, along with the addition of two areas Down East. On Georges Bank, the alternative with the best protection is a new area that includes important habitat in the Northern Edge as well as habitat that protects juvenile groundfish and spawning Atlantic herring. In southern New England, the largest alternative area extends into the Great South Channel, a key corridor for migrating fish and mammals. In addition to the alternatives presented in the DEIS, NOAA Fisheries should improve ocean habitat in New England by: * Developing significantly larger areas with enhanced management for each region that will offer greater protection for all critical life stages. * Protecting areas where fish spawn, using data and analysis from the Closed Area Technical Team. * Protecting remaining areas that continue to support cold-water corals in eastern Maine. * Enhancing habitat research by establishing a network of Dedicated Habitat Research Areas in all the regions, including reference areas protected from all fishing and other local human disturbance. * Prohibiting midwater trawl gear from the habitat management areas in order to protect fish where they live, not just on the seafloor, and to ensure abundant prey fish on which other marine animals depend. New England fishing is in a crisis that has cost taxpayers more than $30 million in direct disaster relief aid this year because of severe depletion of cod and other groundfish. Tens of millions more have been given to the industry over the past 20 years. As you have correctly observed, the current dire situation is largely due to a historical pattern in which fishery managers chose the options with the highest risks. Reducing fish habitat protection in the face of severe depletions and warming waters would perpetuate this risky behavior. Important Notices and Resources By taking action, you will receive emails from Earthjustice. Learn more on our Privacy Policy. The Ocean Ecosystem  Oceans: Building Resilient Ecosystems