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Happy World Oceans Day! (June 8, 2006) The world's oceans cover more than 70 per cent of our planet's surface and the rich web of life they support is the result of hundreds of millions of years of evolution. But all is not well in the sea. Increased pressures from overfishing, habitat destruction, climate change and pollution have combined in recent decades to threaten the diversity of life in estuaries, coastal waters and oceans. Now a new threat, deep-sea bottom trawling, or dragging, is making itself felt and its impacts could be devastating for life in the sea. Fish Stocks have collapsed in many parts of the world and sensitive deep-water coral habitats are being destroyed by this practice. Today, on World Oceans Day, we need your help! If you only do one thing for the oceans today, please do this: Contact Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and ask them to support the United Nations resolution for a moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawling. Visit our website where you can find a draft letter that you can e-mail to Canada's leaders. Thanks for helping out! UN Trawl moratorium Bottom trawling has been acknowledged as the most destructive form of fishing commercially practiced. There are less than 300 bottom trawling boats in deep-sea international waters. However, this small fleet is responsible for destroying large tracts of previously untouched seafloor habitats including coral and sponge reefs. Once damaged, these habitats are largely lost forever.
In southern Australia, observers aboard trawlers recorded nearly two tons of coral per hour being pulled up in the trawls. Scientists studying these fragile habitats in the Tasman Sea found that of the more than 800 species in one such habitat, more than 34 per cent were native to the area. The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition – of which the David Suzuki Foundation is a member – is calling on the United Nations General Assembly to adopt an immediate moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawl fishing on the high seas (the area outside a nation's national waters). Former Prime Minister Paul Martin agreed we must stop the “rape of our oceans.” Our current Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada stated last week that trawl “does damage to the stocks and it does damage to the habitat.” But Canada remains reluctant to sign on to the international moratorium. Canada can not ignore this issue any longer. Canada must take a leadership role in reforming the practices of bottom trawling in both international and national waters. State of the Catch: A professional's guide to sustainable seafood If you’re a chef, a commercial fish buyer, a restaurant manager or a concerned consumer, this guidebook is for you. State of the Catch will assist you in buying and promoting ocean-friendly fish and shellfish, while avoiding seafood species that are threatened, endangered or poorly managed. This document is part our growing effort to promote sustainable seafood. If you know chefs or restaurants that would be interested, please pass along this guidebook or have them contact us for a copy. Fish Forever with David Suzuki On May 31, the David Suzuki Foundation hosted Fish Forever, a sustainable seafood event in Toronto intended for chefs, fish buyers, politicians and concerned consumers. Dr. Ransom Myers and Dr. David Suzuki described the state of the oceans and called out to audience members to take action to help save the oceans' inhabitants. Dr. Myers, chosen by Fortune magazine as one of the world’s top ten movers and shakers, is the Killam Chair in Ocean Studies at Dalhousie University. Popular television personality Christine Cushing also joined the speakers on stage to provide the food professional perspective. Ms. Cushing is the host of the Food Network Canada program “Christine Cushing: Cook with Me,” and author of a number of best-selling cookbooks. The event attracted more than 300 people keen to learn more about how to become smarter seafood consumers. The Suzuki Foundation will be hosting more of these events in the months ahead, hopefully in a city near you. Smart seafood
*Don't forget to contact your federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and your Prime Minister about supporting the UN moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawling.
Read about the David Suzuki Foundation's new vision for Canada: Sustainability within a generation --------------------------- Please forward this message to family and friends, and encourage them to sign up for free e-updates from the David Suzuki Foundation. ----------------------------
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Greenfish: Catfish (North American grown)
Redfish: Orange Roughy
