Subject: FW: BIODIVERSITY ACTIVIST #273

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              CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

            <www.biologicaldiversity.org>      5-08-01      #273
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§ PETITION FILED TO LIST PUGET SOUND KILLER WHALES AS AN
    ENDANGERED SPECIES

§ SUIT TAKES ON LONGLINE FISHING TO SAVE SEA TURTLES,
    SEALS, WHALES, AND SEABIRDS

§ BUSH'S 1ST 100 DAYS: BUSINESS 4, ENDANGERED SPECIES 0

§ POLL: ENDANGERED SPECIES TRUMP PRIVATE PROPERTY,
    BUSH SHOULD LEAVE FORESTS ALONE

§ LETTERS NEEDED: ARIZONA TO DECIDE WHETHER TO
    CONTINUE SUPPORT OF MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY PROGRAM

§  MEXICAN WOLF CAMPOUT, CARPOOL TO WOLF HEARINGS

PETITION FILED TO LIST PUGET SOUND KILLER WHALES AS AN
ENDANGERED SPECIES
On 5-1-01, the Center for Biological Diversity, nine scientific and
environmental groups, and the former Attorney General of Washington
State filed a petition to list the Puget Sound population of killer whales as
endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Formally called the "Southern Resident Killer Whale," this orca population
is perhaps the most urbanized whale on earth. It spends a large portion
of the year in Puget Sound between Seattle, Bellingham, Vancouver, and
Victoria. It is heavily polluted with PCBs, it's favored salmon prey are
endangered, it is under intense whale watching pressure, and the Puget
Sound ecosystem is collapsing around it. A population model developed
by scientists at the Center for Biological Diversity concluded that under
current conditions, the Southern Residents face up to a 99% chance of
extinction within the next 300 years.

To see the petition, the population model, and other information about
this amazing mammal
<http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/orca/index.html>


SUIT TAKES ON LONGLINE FISHING TO SAVE SEA TURTLES,
SEALS, WHALES, AND SEABIRDS
On 5-2-01,  the Center for Biological Diversity and the Turtle Island
Restoration Network filed suit against the National Marine Fisheries
Service  to close the California-based pelagic longline fishery. The fishery
is a major threat to the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle, and
other endangered sea turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds.

Facing new environmental restrictions in the waters of Hawai'i, a fleet of
longline fishing vessels has recently relocated to California.  Each vessel,
fishing primarily for tuna and swordfish, uses monofilament lines up to 30
miles long carrying thousands of hooks which ensnare leatherback,
loggerhead, olive ridley, and green sea turtles, California and Steller's
sea lions, Guadalupe fur seals, Hawaiian monk seals, the occasional
large whale, short-tailed albatross and numerous other seabirds, as well
as underage swordfish and tunas, and thousands of sharks.

California longline vessels are required to obtain permits from the
National Marine Fisheries Service under the High Seas Fishing
Compliance Act. The Act also requires the Fisheries Service to ensure
the U.S. fishing practices are consistent with international conservation
obligations. Since the U.S. Senate last year ratified an international treaty
calling for the reduction of sea turtle mortality from commercial fisheries,
the Fisheries Service is required to reduce sea turtle bycatch.
Nevertheless, the agency has taken no action to regulate the California-
based pelagic longline fishery.  Nor has it reviewed the impact of the
fishery as required by the Endangered Species Act.

The case is being argued by Center for Biological Diversity attorney
Brendan Cummings and by Jay Tutchton and Debbie Sevas of
Earthjustice.


BUSH'S 1ST 100 DAYS: BUSINESS 4, ENDANGERED SPECIES 0
Following a tradition initiated by Ronald Reagan and endorsed by George
Bush Sr., George the younger has proposed a moratorium on
Endangered Species Act listings within his first hundred days in office.

Respectively, Reagan, Bush Sr., and Bush Jr. listed 0, 5, and 0 species
under the ESA during their first 100 days in office. Clinton listed 36. Bush
did set a record, however, in denying ESA protection to four species
during that time. While the Bush Administration claims it has no money to
issue ESA listing decisions, it somehow has found the money to make
negative decisions, but not positive ones.


POLL: ENDANGERED SPECIES TRUMP PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUSH
SHOULD LEAVE FORESTS ALONE
A Los Angeles Times poll, reported on April 30, 2001, found that 58% of
American's nationwide believe that protecting endangered species
"should take priority over preserving personal property rights."

The poll also found that by a margin of  65% to 24%, Americans oppose
President Bush's efforts to roll back the new roadless policy banning road
building, mining and most logging on early 60 million acres of national
forest.


ARIZONA TO DECIDE WHETHER TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF
MEXICAN WOLF RECOVERY PROGRAM: LETTERS NEEDED TODAY
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission will meet on Saturday, May 12
in Safford to decide whether to continue its support of the Mexican wolf
recovery program. Withdrawal of Arizona, which contributes the most
biologists among the multi-agency program, would leave the four
remaining packs in Arizona vulnerable to poachers just as they are
expected to be nursing new-born pups.  We need to keep Arizona's
biologists in the field to ensure the safety of the wolves, and to prevent
the Bush Administration from using the state withdrawal as an excuse to
terminate the recovery program and recapture all the wolves.
Please attend the Commission meeting at 1:30 pm Saturday at the
Manor House Conference Center, 415 E. Hwy 70, Safford, Arizona.
Carpools are available from Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson and points in
between:
      Tucson (520) 623-5252 ext. 314.
      Phoenix (602) 253-8633
      Prescott (520) 777-1095.

If you can't attend, please send a letter to:

   Dennis Manning, Chair, Arizona Game & Fish Commission
   2221 W. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85023-4399
   fax (602) 789-3299, email <mketterer@gf.state.az.us>


MEXICAN WOLF CAMPOUT, CARPOOL TO WOLF HEARINGS
Join the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club in a campout
on Friday, May 11 in an area used by the Cienega, Saddle and Hawk's
Nest wolf packs. Then carpool down to Safford the next morning to testify
at the Game and Fish Commission hearing.

Cienega Campground is in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest off
Hwy. 191 north of Clifton and south of Hannagan Meadow.

To carpool to the campground or directly to the hearings:
      Tucson (520) 623-5252 ext. 314.
      Phoenix (602) 253-8633
      Prescott (520) 777-1095.

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