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.
Trump Opens Door for Commercial Fishing in Protected Marine Monuments
President Trump signed an executive order that opens up commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage National Marine Monument, covering about 490,000 square miles of ocean southwest of Hawaii. The removal of protected status under Executive Order has been proved in court under the last Trump Administration to violate the Antiquities Act. New litigation from environmental groups is pending in response to the Executive Order.
Read MoreHonoring Women’s History Month: Carmen Koepfer
This week, following 45 days of Congress in session, the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary has become our 18th National Marine Sanctuary.
Read MoreAction: Hawai’i Wild Fish Aquarium Trade Permitting
The Hawai’i HB661 bill can bypass permitting requirements for wild fish collection. The hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, February 27, at 2:00 pm (HST), in the House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs. As with the Senate bill, this version (HB661) is a dangerous bill that would also entirely gut the Hawaiʻi Environmental Policy Act (HEPA) by allowing potentially destructive activities to continue during any required environmental review.
Read MoreNOAA Designates 18th National Marine Sanctuary
Papahānaumokuākea sanctuary status to bring strengthened conservation, management to area of Hawaiian National Marine Monument January 15, 2025 Signed in the final hours under the Biden- Harris Administration, NOAA is […]
Read MoreHope for Sharks and Marine Habitat
Shark Newsletter December 24, 2024 View this email in your browser This year, as part of our Kahu Manō campaign to reduce retention and bycatch of critically endangered sharks, Shark […]
Read MoreBeach Cleanup Puako Hawaii
Join us with our partners Keep Puako Beautiful and the Kohala Alliance on the first beach cleanup of 2025.
Read MoreSupport Pacific Island Marine Sanctuaries
In the next three years we have our sights on increasing marine protection in US waters through the creation of two new National Marine Sanctuaries: one in California with the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, and one in Hawaii with the creation of the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary. Creating the proposed Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary within the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument and the Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Sanctuary (PRINMS). These Sanctuary designations will provide stricter protection and can avoid challenges from future administrations stripping marine and cultural protection for resource extraction.
Read MoreNOAA Considers New Rule to Increase Protection Oceanic Whitetip Sharks
In a public hearing August 20-21 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducted hearings seeking comments on a proposed rule to extend protective regulations for threatened oceanic whitetip sharks under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act. The public can submit comments on the rule until Sept. 15.
Read MoreTell the Hawaii BLNR NO Aquarium Reef Fish Fishing
The Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is moving forward with their plan to re-open West Hawaiʻi to commercial aquarium collection (AQ) on behalf of the mainland businesses that sell wildlife for aquariums. They will ask the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) to approve it on August 23.
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