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Article rank 6 Oct 2011 Times Colonist JUDITH LAVOIE jlavoie@timescolonist.comTimes Colonist
U.S. urged to act over killing of marine mammals
Environmental activists from five countries are asking the U.S to ban imports of salmon from farms where marine mammals are killed.
A letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commerce department, signed by representatives of 19 organizations, says marine mammal shootings violate the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act and the government has a unique opportunity to demand seal-sea lion friendly salmon.
“Recent evidence in Canada and Scotland in particular provide damning evidence of the deliberate and systematic shooting of seals and sea lions,” says the letter, which also points out that Steller sea lions, listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, were killed in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
“We ask that the U.S send a strong signal that the killing of marine mammals will no longer be tolerated,” says the letter, which names Chile, Canada, Norway and Scotland as the four largest exporters to the U.S.
Recently released Department of Fisheries and Oceans figures show 6,243 seals and sea lions were killed between 1989 and 2000. During the first three months of this year, 37 harbour seals, 141 California sea lions and two Steller sea lions were killed.
B.C. Salmon Farmers Association and the NOAA could not be contacted.
Among B.C. signatories to the letter are biologist and anti-salmon farm activist Alexandra Morton, Bonny Glambeck of Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild, Anissa Reed of Salmon Are Sacred and Don Staniford of the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture.
U.S. urged to act over killing of marine mammals
Environmental activists from five countries are asking the U.S to ban imports of salmon from farms where marine mammals are killed.
A letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commerce department, signed by representatives of 19 organizations, says marine mammal shootings violate the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act and the government has a unique opportunity to demand seal-sea lion friendly salmon.
“Recent evidence in Canada and Scotland in particular provide damning evidence of the deliberate and systematic shooting of seals and sea lions,” says the letter, which also points out that Steller sea lions, listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, were killed in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
“We ask that the U.S send a strong signal that the killing of marine mammals will no longer be tolerated,” says the letter, which names Chile, Canada, Norway and Scotland as the four largest exporters to the U.S.
Recently released Department of Fisheries and Oceans figures show 6,243 seals and sea lions were killed between 1989 and 2000. During the first three months of this year, 37 harbour seals, 141 California sea lions and two Steller sea lions were killed.
B.C. Salmon Farmers Association and the NOAA could not be contacted.
Among B.C. signatories to the letter are biologist and anti-salmon farm activist Alexandra Morton, Bonny Glambeck of Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild, Anissa Reed of Salmon Are Sacred and Don Staniford of the Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture.
