The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering an appalling plan to allow gray whales to be slaughtered off the Washington coast. Allowing a hunt would set a dangerous precedent that undermines the global moratorium on whaling.
Please submit your public comment opposing the hunting of gray whales off the coast of Washington.The risks of a hunt are significant. Proponents suggest that “only a few” whales will be killed for subsistence and cultural reasons. But even one whale is too many, regardless of who hunts them. Scientific evidence makes it clear these magnificent, sentient creatures are under grave threats from far too many sources.
The threats to gray whales are vast — from navy sonar and other underwater noise, to climate change, ocean acidification, ship strikes and pollution. The impact of this hunt on delicate gray whale populations has the potential to be huge. Not to mention, there are only a few individuals left in some populations, and there is a virtual certainty that whales from these populations will be killed because it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between them during a hunt.
PETITION CLOSED
Don’t Allow Whales to be Slaughtered off the
- author: Sea Shepherd Legal
- signatures: 25,053
30,000
we’ve got 25,053 signatures, help us get to 30,000 by July 31, 2015
The hunt threatens not only a recovering population of Eastern North Pacific gray whales, but the few remaining individuals left in the endangered Western North Pacific and also the Pacific Coast Feeding Group populations. There is a very strong chance that whales within these smaller groups will be killed because it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between the populations, particularly given that hunts are often chaotic and conducted in tumultuous ocean conditions.
There is far too much scientific uncertainty about the impact a hunt would have on gray whales and the environment. Additionally, NMFS is not adequately considering the cumulative impacts of all the other threats to gray whales – such as navy sonar and other underwater noise, climate change, ocean acidification, oil and gas development, ship strikes and pollution.
The proposed hunt in Washington is just the first step toward a dangerous precedent that would undermine the global moratorium on whaling. Whale watching is a meaningful and economically lucrative alternative that helps maintain the gray whale’s iconic role in numerous cultures.
Gray whales have been known to migrate up to 22,000 kilometers, nearly 14,000 miles, crossing the jurisdictions of multiple countries. So this is an issue of international concern.
Please sign this petition to submit your official public comment opposing the hunt of gray whales and requesting that NMFS deny any permits to hunt gray whales in Pacific Coast waters. less
The hunt threatens not only a recovering population of Eastern North Pacific gray whales, but the few remaining individuals left in the endangered Western North Pacific and also the Pacific Coast Feeding Group populations. There is a very strong chance that whales within these smaller groups will be killed because it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between the populations, particularly given that hunts are often chaotic and conducted in tumultuous ocean conditions.
There is far too much scientific uncertainty about the impact a hunt would have on gray whales and the environment. Additionally, NMFS is not adequately considering the cumulative impacts of all the other threats to gray whales – such as navy sonar and other underwater noise, climate change, ocean acidification, oil and gas development, ship strikes and pollution.
The proposed hunt in Washington is just the first step toward a dangerous precedent that would undermine the global moratorium on whaling. Whale watching is a meaningful and economically lucrative alternative that helps maintain the gray whale’s iconic role in numerous cultures.
Gray whales have been known to migrate up to 22,000 kilometers, nearly 14,000 mil… more
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