Target: Dame Angela Eagle, UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Goal: Invest in monitoring and deterrence to prevent massive marine deaths via bycatch.
A disturbing report out of England documents the tremendous impact when fishing vessels accidentally catch or kill marine life, otherwise known as bycatch. The analysis estimated that within a year’s time in just one portion of the region, dozens of whales, hundreds of seals, thousands of porpoises and salmon, and over 100 tons of sharks and stingrays became collateral damage of gear like gillnets and creel ropes. Due to the miniscule percentage of vessels that actually document this data, the numbers could very well be much higher. The effect on seabirds like guillemots and razorbills is especially devastating, with as many as 10,000 birds cited as annual bycatch in the study. Across all European coasts, this number soars to nearly 100,000.
Many proposed deterrents have shown promise. Trials with heavier nets and ropes have proven successful. More innovative methods that use bird kites or looming-eyes buoys – colloquially known as “floating scarecrows” for their unique appearance – have demonstrated their own benefits in scaring birds away from hazardous gear. According to some studies, the latter cuts bird bycatch by roughly 60 percent, while the kites can reduce numbers by an even more impressive 71 percent. Advocates have also called for electronic monitoring on all vessels in order to strengthen enforcement of maritime laws.
Sign the petition below to support a comprehensive plan that incorporates these invaluable tools.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Eagle,
The Wildlife and Countryside Link conducted a study that shows in stark terms the devastating toll of bycatch on dolphins, whales, sharks, seals, and particularly on dwindling seabird populations. The United Kingdom has an obligation to maintain high environmental wellness standards in its surrounding seas, and this mission is clearly failing. Implementing recommendations such as remote electronic monitoring on all fishing vessels would be a solid start.
Even more pressing is the need for urgent investment in looming-eye buoys, bird kite deterrents, heavier gillnets, and other proven methods for saving the lives of thousands of marine animals every year. Please meet this moment with a long-overdue plan of action backed by robust funding.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Charles J. Sharp
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