PLEASE SUBMIT A COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE GRAY WHALE DEPLETION PETITION
 

THIS IS IT!
GRAY WHALE CROSSROADS


The best hope the Gray Whales have right now is to be upgraded to depleted status under the provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 

If the Coalition is successful in getting National Marine & Fisheries Service to make a positive 60 day finding (a YES decision), then the Agency must initiate what is known as a Status Review, a bringing together of experts to examine all major threats and problems facing the Gray Whales, making recommendations for their recovery.

A new Status Review is long overdue.   When the whales were delisted from the Endangered Species Act in 1994, a Status Review was held five years later as required by the Act.   None of the recommendations of this Status Review workshop were funded or implemented.   A second five year Status Review was recommended as well but never implemented.   (There was no California GrayWhale Coalition in those days to gee up the government).

There’s been NO STATUS REVIEW of the Gray Whale population since 1999.  Yet almost one year after the first Status Review workshop the population sustained a massive crash, losing more than one third of the whales to starvation.

In the 11 years which have passed since the only Status Review, many problems have arisen for the whales.   Major threats involve climate change impacts, loss of prey, entanglements, toxic pollution, tranisient orca predation, navy exercises and wave energy projects.

THE DEPLETED PETITION IS THE BEST CHANCE FOR THE GRAY WHALES RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED TO SUBMIT THOUSANDS OF POSITIVE COMMENTS TO THE US GOVERNMENT.

If the petition is rejected, the Coalition will challenge National Marine & Fisheries decision in the Courts.

We need your help now !

Comments supporting the Coalition’s depleted petition must be sent in by midnight, December 8,2010.
 
To submit your comment electronically please click:

>>>>> HERE<<<<
  
Our suggested draft is as follows:-

I ............................... submit a formal comment of support for the California Gray Whale Coalition depleted petition ( RIN 0648-XA018) and requests NMFS accept the petition and make a positive 60 day finding.

I ............................... submit the eastern north pacific gray whale population is below its optimum sustainable population and that the petition provides compelling evidence of inhibited reproduction, diminished prey availability and increased predation which are severely impacting the viability of the population.

 
Please copy and paste one of the above comments into the comments field, fill out your details and submit.

To submit by Fax:
 
301-713-0376
Att: Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle
Conservation Division.

To submit by Mail:
 
Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation
Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine & Fisheries
Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD. 20910

PLEASE ACT NOW.  THIS IS A VITAL STEP IN PROTECTING THE MAJESTIC GRAY WHALE

 
  JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP
 
SEARCH FACEBOOK FOR: California Gray Whale Coalition Group OR CLICK HERE
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JOIN THE CAUSE
 
SEARCH FACEBOOK CAUSES FOR: YES WE CAN SAVE THE CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALE OR FOLLOW THIS LINK:
 
http://www.causes.com/graywhales
 

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DONATE 
 
FUNDS CAN BE DONATED ON THE CAUSE
PAGE AND THE COALITION'S WEBSITE.

www.californiagraywhalecoalition.org 
 

SIGN THE PETITION

"I request that the new US Congress take all necessary steps to fund a comprehensive review of all the major threats facing the California Gray Whale."

PLEASE NOTE: From time to time we will send you action alerts asking for your assistance with important campaigns. The action alerts may request that you write letters, inform your friends or ask for donations. To view past action alerts please go HERE. At the base of each action alert sent to the email you provide, you'll find an option to unsubscribe. Thanks to all our Petition Members for your continued support.

"A growing number of Gray Whales in the sub Arctic waters are contaminated. As bottom feeders, these whales are vulnerable to toxic pollution.  Recent data from our worldwide sampling of sperm whale blubber - The Voyage of the Odyssey - show that many whales are polluted to levels that make their meat unsafe for human consumption-a sufficient cause to discontinue whaling."

DR ROGER PAYNE

"The California Gray Whale is an indicator species of the sub Arctic and Arctic Oceans.   With major changes taking place in the polar marine ecosystems, ensuring ongoing research into the major threats facing these majestic whales is critical.  In the light of these changes, Gray Whales deserve the highest legal protection."

DR SLVIA EARLE




"Gray whales face many pressures, such as lack of food, coastal development and increasing ocean noise.  They need better protection."

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU

"And God created the great whales
there in Laguna San Ignacio"

HOMERO ARIDJIS

"the possibility that we might drive these magnificent creatures into extinction is unimaginable and unacceptable."

DARYL HANNAH

"Life began in the sea.  So goes the whale...so goes mankind.  An effort to save the whales benefits us all."

BEAU BRIDGES

"Thanks for leading the fight to save
the Gray Whales"

ED BEGLEY JNR




"The Gray Whale is the marine mammal symbol of California.  It deserves to be protected and honored.  I support the creation of a "Whale of a Day" tribute to this magnificent animal."

PRINCE FREDERIC VON ANHALT

"The Gray Whale faces a myriad of threats from climate change to sonar testing and oil exploration. They need our help and the California Gray Whale Coalition is a leading advocate for this important keystone species."

PEDRO NAVA

"When we fully understand and begin to meet the threats to the California Gray Whale, we will be addressing the problems that face North America's entire Pacific coastal ecosystem."

LYNN WOOLSEY

"Saving the Gray Whales from extinction is an absolute must.  This magnificent, intelligent species cannot be allowed to perish from this earth.  If we ignore their plight we ignore the eventual impact on all species, including our own, of the rapacious practices of mankind."

SARA WAN

"Gray whales need our immediate attention! Due to climate change, their Arctic food supply is diminishing and the numbers of mother-calf pairs on the long migration are the lowest in years."

DICK RUSSELL

Grateful thanks to Baja Eco Tours for these images.