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Dolphin Death Act
From: "DR. KEN MARTEN" <porpoise@lava.net>
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 03:04:22 -1000
To: MARMAM@UVVM.UVIC.CA
Subject: TUNA-PORPOISE INFO WEBPAGE: http://www.earthtrust.org
E-MAIL REPLY ADDRESS: porpoise@lava.net
The international conservation organization Earthtrust in Hawaii
has now established a webpage devoted to giving up-to-date information
about the Clinton/Gore-backed "Dolphin Death Bill" which
has now passed through the House of Representatives and is being considered
in the Senate. The bill basically legalizes massive killing of dolphins
in the tuna fishery, and removes any legal basis for dolphin-safe
labelling or other meaningful monitoring of the fishery.
The website is: http://www.earthtrust.org
Just click on the blue print that says "DOLPHIN HOTLINE PAGE"
at the top of the home page.
I personally am a former National Marine Fisheries Service porpoise
observer on tunaboats, as well as a cetacean research biologist, and
am apalled by how poorly the public (and Congress) is being informed,
and the consequent apathy and poor decision-making that is occurring
with tens of millions of dolphin lives at stake. The populations of
dolphins at risk are already heavily depleted.
As someone who has witnessed thousands of dolphin deaths at sea,
you can imagine my perspective on this issue compared to debating
the life or health of single dolphins or whales. An essential fact
to bear in mind is that the new legislation will set an annual quota
of 5,000--a number that can (and almost certainly will) be killed
in one net set by one tunaboat in one hour. Also, with a quota in
place and zero realistic way to monitor the kill (as a former porpoise
observer myself, I can state with some authority that the proposed
observer program would be futile-- see my testimony to Congress on
the webpage), it is basically open season again on the dolphins.
The webpage consists of information to help fill the information
gap. Decisions and actions are of course left to the reader. Marmam
subscribers are already people who care about marine mammal conservation.
There is zero question in my mind that this is the weak link in the
marine mammal conservation chain. Each reader should also ask himself
if the actions of Congress appear to properly represent other consumers/constituents
as well. Talk to other people. Spread the word, especially outside
the marine mammal community.
Finally, what if we discuss the issue some on Marmam? It's worth
a good rumble! Above all, if you have anything to say, say it to your
Senators.
Here is a brief summary by my colleague Mark Palmer of Earth Island
Institute, which also appears as an introduction and summary at the
beginning of the webpage:
The Dolphin Death Act, S.39 by Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and John
Breaux (D-LA), will be coming up for a vote on the Senate floor this
summer.
S.39 was developed by the government and tuna fishing industry of
Mexico, with the support of the Clinton Administration and the Wise-Use
Movement. If approved by the Senate, S.39 would virtually REPEAL U.S.
dolphin protection laws. The House companion bill, H.R.408, was recently
approved by the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.
S.39 repeals current embargoes on import and sale of tuna caught
by mile-long purse seine nets, which drown thousands of dolphins each
year.
Furthermore, the legislation would change the definition of "dolphin-safe"
tuna to allow chase, injury, netting, harassment, and killing of dolphins,
as long as an observer zero reports any dolphins dying outright. This
false "dolphin-safe" definition constitutes consumer fraud
of the highest order, all to placate the tuna fleets of Mexico, Colombia,
and Venezuela. The legislation would also allow U.S. tuna fleets to
again set the deadly nets on schools of dolphins.
Over the past four decades, more than 7 million dolphins have been
killed in tuna nets, which are used deliberately to target schools
of dolphins to catch the tuna that swim beneath. Earth Island Institute
and other organizations launched an international boycott of tuna
in 1988 to stop the killing of dolphins by the tuna industry.
In 1990, the three largest American tuna companies announced that
they would only accept tuna caught by methods known to be 'safe' for
dolphins. Congress quickly followed up, outlawing the import and sale
of tuna caught by netting dolphins.
The U.S. market is now 100% "dolphin-safe"; Canada, Europe,
and Australia are also almost entirely "dolphin-safe", covering
more than 90% of the world's canned tuna markets. Observed deaths
of dolphins in the tuna fishery have dropped from more than 100,000
annually in the late 1980's to only 2,574 last year.
In addition to undercutting years of progress in dolphin protection
efforts, S.39 would benefit the drug trade in Latin America. The two
largest cocaine busts in maritime history happened aboard two tuna
fishing vessels in 1995 and 1996, amounting to tons of cocaine destined
for offloading in Mexico for shipment across the U.S. border. Evidence
is mounting that major portions of the tuna industry have been bought
by the notorious Cali Cartel and Mexican drug gangs, including the
Tijuana cartel.
The Dolphin Death Act was defeated in Congress last year, through
the filibuster threat of Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and thousands
of activists like you! Now the bill is back.
Why are the Clinton Administration and members of Congress supporting
the repeal of U.S. dolphin protection laws and opening a pipeline
for the deadly cocaine trade of Colombia and Mexico? Will they sacrifice
dolphins on the altar of free trade?
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ACTION
What is needed is a flood of phone calls, faxes, and e-mail sent
to members of the U.S. Senate, urging them to oppose S.39, the Dolphin
Death Act.
If you need to know who your Senators are, contact your local Registrar
of Voters or City Hall. Information on contacting individual members
of Congress is available on the Internet (check the Planet Ark web
page, for example, for information on contacting members of Congress
on this issue.)
The Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 224-3121 -- ask to be connected
with your Senator's office.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN. CALL EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE (415) 788-3666
FOR ADDITIONAL INFO., OR CLICK ON THE E-MAIL ICON TO SEND E-MAIL TO
DR. MARTEN AT EARTHRUST IN HAWAII.
And, that's it, folks. Have a look at the webpage and see what YOU
think. Tell others. Let's at least get informed.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Marten
Dr. Ken Marten Phone: (808) 259-8264
Director of Research FAX: (808) 235-7519
Earthtrust - Project Delphis e-mail: porpoise@lava.net
25 Kaneohe Bay Dr. website: http://www.earthtrust.org
Kailua, HI 96734
U.S.A.
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