On April 17, President Trump issued an executive order would open large USA marine protected areas to commercial fishing in the Pacific. The order instructs the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to implement US-based fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. The proclamation threatens endangered species, sharks, and some of the healthiest coral reefs and marine ecosystems in the world.Protected under federal law since 2009, the proclamation violates the Antiquities Act, the law used to create the Monument.
Read MoreExecutive Order Threatens Sharks, US Coral Reefs
On April 17, President Trump issued an executive order would open large U.S.- marine protected areas to commercial fishing. The order authorized the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and US Fish and Wildlife Service to implement US-based fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. The proclamation threatens Pacific Island heritage, endangered species, and some of the healthiest coral reefs and marine ecosystems in the world.
Read MoreEndangered Species Day, ESA Act at Risk
A change in the ESA could reverse critical environmental safeguards and over 50 years of important species protection. Allowing habitat destruction could be the death knell for imperiled species across the United States and beyond, including great hammerhead sharks, green sea turtles and short tailed albatross.
This month we are campaigning the US Congress to support endangered marine life and marine protection.
Sevengill sharks of California, Photo ID and Community Science
Michael Bear is the President and co-founder of Ocean Sanctuaries and a board member of Shark Stewards. He manages the Sevengill Shark ID Project, which uses the pattern recognition algorithms contained in ‘Wildbook’ to help identify Sevengills returning to La Jolla [and Cape Town] from year-to-year. We are leading dive trips and recruiting divers who dive the san Diego area to submit photographs of sevengill sharks to photo ID using an algorithm.
Read MoreSanctuaries and NOAA in Peril
Budget cuts and the potential stripping of marine protection in our National Marine Sanctuaries is an imminent threat to over fifty years of wildlife and habitat in the USA.
Shark Stewards urges you to contact your congressman and support NOAA and our National Marine Sanctuaries.
Read MoreShark Stewards Joins Nationwide Coalition to Support NOAA
Shark Stewards has joined 377 organizations and businesses nationwide have joined together to urge Congress to oppose actions by the Trump administration to dismantle, privatize, or significantly diminish the critical services and functions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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