Re **Action alert: marine fish need your help!
MFraioli
Date: Sat, Jun 24, 1995 10:44 AM EDT
From: d...@gate.net
X-From: d...@gate.net (Dan Volker)
To: mfra...@aol.com
> This sounds like the old story about the foxes stealing chickens from
the
> hen house. Now these foxes are trying to convince us that they won't
> steal as many chickens.
MFraioli: The Marine Fish Conservation Network, to which you are
referring, is funded only by a coalition of environmental public interest
groups, including: the American Oceans Campaign, the Environmental Defense
Fund, Greenpeace, Fish Forever, the National Audubon Society, Trout
Unlimited, the World Wildlife Fund, and, I might add, the Professional
Association of Diving Instructors and the National Association of
Underwater Instructors.
Given the emotional and financial sacrifice it takes to be an
environmental activist, I am only willing to allocate so much of my energy
to dealing with accusations like the one above. If anyone wants to do
some background research on my organization, they can help themselves.
However, in the meantime, *I'm* going to fight for the environment. I'd
appreciate any help I can get.
> C. I'll get behind any regulation that places a moratorium an commercial
> fishing in U.S. waters for at least 5 years. If the lobbying group we
are
> talking to won't go this far, I think that they are then sitting on the
> wrong side of the fence.
All progress is good progress. If you and I don't work together, the
players who are going to lose out are the fish themselves. The 95
reauthorization of the Magnuson Act represents and incredible opportunity
to stem the tide of destruction that is overwhelming our marine
ecosystems. Nuff said.
Those of your who are interested in introducing environmentally
sustainable reforms into the Magnuson Act, contact me: MFra...@aol.com
Dan Volker
It sounded too close to the "Save our Seafood" TV comercials that came
out shortly after the "Save our Sealife" campaign.And not because there
was anything wrong with what you said, just that it sounded like the kind
of position the "other team" might be taking to mislead voters. Given
the group you have just represented, I feel terrible for having posted
negatively.
Please let me know more about what can be done, and if there is a way I
can help.
Regards,
Dan Volker
Ursula Keuper-Bennett
>
>Please let me know more about what can be done, and if there is a way I
>can help.
I may be talking out of turn here, because I don't represent any kind
of organization. I am a private individual - a SCUBA diver.
As a diver, I feel a special obligation to the ocean. While I am most
concerned about a site we have dived over 500 times in West Maui (same
place twice, sometimes we times a day), we care about the fate of the
planet's ocean too.
So I am going to answer your question. My husband, Peter has already
mentioned the attempt by Senator Gorton and others in cahoots with him,
to revise the Endangered Species Act.
We were so alarmed at the potential effect this would have on the
ocean environment, (sea turtles in particular) we wrote a letter
condemning Bill S-768 and mailed a copy to EACH of the 100 US. senators.
No sooner had we finished this letter writing campaign than we hear
about this one.. the Magnuson Act. First we have to access the text on
the Net, study it and see what can be done.
So one thing you can do is be aware that there are two threats to the
oceans sitting like time bombs in your legislature (I am assuming you
are American).
Write letters and then SEND them. Stay aware of any legislation
dealing with the oceans. ..or if you are a freshwater diver, protect
that.
But I believe as divers, we have a SPECIAL obligation to protect the
water. Divers can be sometimes aware of environmental problems simply
because they are IN the water.
I used to dive hop, find this destination, then that.. but the
greatest satisfaction came when I settled in to one place. Home is our
dive site in West Maui.
We pick up trash during dives (lots of divers do). We notice and
document changes in the health of the corals and animals there. And
because it is necessary, we will write letters to editors if
development, sewage treatment plants etc. threaten our underwater area
of responsibility.
Off season, we internet, keeping watch for potential ocean threats.
So that is what you can do. You must have a favourite dive site.
Make it your own. Monitor it for any negative changes and then SQUAWK
like hell if you find any.
I think divers have a special window into this ocean and therefore, a
significant role to play to protect the health of the marine ecosytems.
Individuals have a tough tough time fighting the business interests..
we have 9 to 5 jobs, limited resources and they have a bevy... make that
lair of lawyers whose sole job it is to plow ahead for profit...
whatever the cost to the environment.
I have heard too many divers complain about a destination being
"wrecked" and so their answer is go find another one. You can only do
that for so long and then you run out of places to run.
My suggestion, because I believe you will find this rewarding.. ADOPT
a dive site as your special responsibility and then be its advocate.
Consider this motto... If not us, then who?
^ Ursula Keuper-Bennett
0 0 Mississauga, Ontario
/V^\ I I /^V\ Email: how...@io.org
/V Turtle Trax V\
/V Forever Green V\ http://www.io.org/~bunrab