The folks at Environment California are trying to raise money to save California’s sea life. We here at Shakedown News are big fans of our sea friends. If you can help, please give a little or a lot!
Here’s the message from Environment California:
As Californians, we surf and sunbathe on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world — sharing them with otters, seals, and sea creatures large and small.
Unfortunately, the delicate marine ecosystems are at risk — wildlife populations are dropping fast. We’re working to establish protection for turtles, otters and other wildlife by establishing marine protected areas, which work like national parks in the ocean.
Right now, state officials are considering putting a new protected area that would range from offshore of Santa Barbara down to San Diego, and we’re working to make sure it happens. Please join us, and send an e-mail to the state commission today.
I also wanted to let you in on some great news for solar power. The governor signed two new bills that help people cash in on going solar — making utilities fairly compensate solar customers who provide electricity to the grid. One law requires utilities to write a check to their customers for generating surplus solar electricity in a given year (AB 920) and the other creates a market for giant solar installations on warehouses, parking lots and other large open areas. It was an uphill battle with utility opposition in the current political climate, but with your help, we were able to overcome those challenges. And that’s why I’m also confident we can convince the state to protect sea animals with marine protected areas.
Marine protected areas serve one main purpose: They give sea critters a place to live, feed, breed and thrive without being subjected to large-scale industrial fishing.
Large-scale commercial fisheries take everything they can with no thought to longevity. They use huge factory trawlers that destroy ocean habitat — clear-cutting the ocean floor.
The evidence of their unsustainable practice is clear: 90 percent of big predator fish are now gone. And to get the remaining 10 percent, fishing industries use methods that kill everything in their path, such as dolphins, sea otters and thousands of small fish that these animals depend on for food.
To make it worse, most of the fished areas are also the areas that are most ecologically important, areas where animals come to mate and spawn
There is a solution. By setting aside key areas, we can protect sensitive sea life and habitats while leaving the majority of coastal waters open for fishing and other uses. With a network of marine protected areas, we can help ensure the long-term health and sustainability of California’s ocean and the animals that live in it.
The state set up a commission to investigate marine protected areas but the outcome is far from certain.
The fishing companies don’t want any limits put in place — despite the fact that marine protected areas help revitalize fish populations.
That’s why we need more people to take action, and protect our ocean wildlife:
http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/action/oceans/protect-sea-life?id4=ES
Thanks for leading the way,
Dan Jacobson
Environment California Legislative Director
http://www.environmentcalifornia.org
