More Leatherbacks and Loggerheads would be killed in the Hawaii  swordfish longline fishery  © Doug Perrine/Seapics.com

Right now, U.S. fishery managers are trying to roll back protections for endangered sea turtles, false killer whales and humpback whales that swim across the Pacific past the Hawai’ian islands to the U. S. West Coast.

Help stop the expansion by: 1) Submit a letter by email or snail mail (see below), 2) Sign the on-line petition and tell your friends and 3) Do more by collecting signatures on a petition, writing a letter or showing Journey of the Leatherback.

The proposed expansion of the Hawai’i -based swordfish fleet would allow the catch of three times more loggerhead sea turtles and remove all limits on longlining in this fishery – to more than 4 million deadly hooks. The weaker rules would result in more injury and death of gravely endangered Pacific leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles and also allow swordfish longliners to kill more albatross and marine mammals, including endangered humpback whales and false killer whales. All so that industrial longline fishers can catch more high-priced swordfish to send to expensive restaurants and supermarkets.

HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENTS:  Public Comment ends August 3, 2009!
The most effective public comment is a typed or handwritten letter. See draft letter below. To submit your comments by email:

1.    Click here  (Rule Number: 0648–AW49- Hawaii-based Shallow-set Longline Fishery)
2.    Enter your first & last name under "Submitter Information"
3.    List "Private Citizen" as your "Organization"
4.    Write your own, or cut & paste the sample comment letter under "Public Comment or Submission"
5.    Click submit

Even better! Send a handwritten or typed letter to:
Dr. James W. Balsiger
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Dr. Jane Lubchenco
Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
HCHB, Room 5810
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20233

SAMPLE COMMENT LETTER (cut and paste into text box or into your own document.)

I strongly oppose the expansion of the Hawai’i -based shallow-set swordfish fishery as proposed. Doing so would triple the number of sea turtles allowed to be captured.  Every death or injury of a sea turtle in this fishery has serious consequences for the future survival of the species. The expansion would allow 4 million or more deadly hooks to be set in the ocean that are certain to accidentally catch and harm leatherbacks, loggerheads, humpback whales, false killer whales, seabirds and several types of fish.  Even holding the line on the existing fishery as proposed in the “no action” alternative is unlikely to be protective enough. All other alternatives proposed in the regulation are completely unacceptable. I urge National Marine Fishery Service to reject the expansion of the Hawai’i -based longline fishery as proposed.

Thank you for considering my views. I look forward to hearing your response.

Yours truly,

Your name, address