Hanukkah and Christmas came early this year for Oceana, our partners, and our half million supporters. Allow me to explain…
1) Sharks and Turtles Protected – Although November’s ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) meetings did little to help endangered bluefin tuna, there were some positives for sharks and sea turtles. Seven species of sharks, included oceanic whitetips, hammerheads and shortfin makos, gained new protections in ICCAT fisheries. As for turtles, ICCAT approved new data reporting requirements on captured sea turtles and mandated the use of certain fishing gear that could help save tens of thousands of sea turtles accidentally caught in the Atlantic.
2) Speaking of Turtles – Angela Kinsey, who plays Angela Martin on “The Office,” recently appeared on Lopez Tonight to discuss Oceana’s newest public service announcement. In May, Angela and actress Rachael Harris (“The Hangover”) joined Oceana in the Mexican Riviera to film the second installment of our ‘Turtles Off The Hook’ PSA campaign. The PSA highlights the need for stronger protections for sea turtles, and thanks to Angela and Rachael, sea turtles have two new high profile (and hilarious) advocates. Watch the PSA and bonus extras at www.oceana.org/turtlesoffthehook
3) Getting Some Google Love – At the outset of COP16 (short for 16th conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – what a mouthful!), Google has teamed up with Oceana to add a new educational tool to its arsenal. “Ocean Acid Test,” which is featured in the new Google Earth 6.0 tour along with videos from Kofi Annan and Wangari Maathai, has Oceana scientist Dr. Jeffrey Short explaining the science and effects of ocean acidification, particularly the threats facing creatures like crabs, lobsters and coral. You can watch the video here: http://na.oceana.org/en/blog/2010/11/new-google-earth-tour-ocean-acid-test
4) Drilling Ban – Last, but not least, our fight against offshore drilling scored a major victory when Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar recently announced that in the U.S.’s new five-year drilling plan, no new offshore drilling will be allowed off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts or in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. This is a huge step towards cleaner and safer alternatives sources of energy, which is good for the oceans and the planet.
We have much to be thankful for. Happy Holidays from all of us at Oceana!
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