NOAA threatens to remove endangered species status from humpback whales — 90-day comment period

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Threats to whales, sea life, and the oceans include:

  • The U.S. military is ramping up electromagnetic weapons and explosives testing in the oceans, with sonar buoys deployed along the West Coast.
  • Hazardous pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture, toxic industrial runoff, raw sewage continue dumping into the oceans
  • Fukushima pours greater amounts of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, with impacts through the Bering Strait to the Atlantic.
  • Europe continues dumping nuclear waste into the Atlantic
  • Dead zones are increasing across the globe.

Yet, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – NOAA – plans to reduce or eliminate protection to humpback whales.

NOAA spins this as a victory of conservation efforts and increased population levels for the species. Yet, this proposal would reduce or remove current levels of protection at a time when the oceans are in great jeopardy and the Pacific Ocean is dying.

Dead whales are already washing up along the West Coast. NOAA disregards the research on Fukushima and has refused to test the radiation in the ocean or in sea life.

The scientific basis of NOAA’s proposal is non-existent. NOAA is not about protecting the environment.

The real reason NOAA wants to do this is to cater to industry and the military which want less oversight over their already abusive and environmentally destructive activities.

The comment period is only 90 days.

Alert everyone you know who cares about the earth, especially the children. We can make a difference and stop this harmful proposal.

Here is the link to NOAA’s spin article

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2015/20150420-successful-conservation-efforts-recognized-in-revised-esa-humpback-whale-listing.html

The proposal information from NOAA’s website:

You may submit comments, information, or data on this document, identified by the code NOAA-NMFS-2015-0035, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions : Submit all electronic comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0035 , click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

Mail: Submit written comments to Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

For general information on humpback whales, go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/whales/humpback-whale.html

To read the proposal’s Federal Register notice, go to: https://federalregister.gov/a/2015-09010

 

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