Oceana Wins Lawsuit, Court Requires Rebuilding of Collapsed US Pacific Sardine Fishery
Following a legal challenge by Oceana and Earthjustice, a United States Federal District Court ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to meet its legal obligation to rebuild the U.S. West Coast Pacific sardine population, which has been mismanaged for more than a decade and remains well below healthy population levels. The Fisheries Service must now develop a new rebuilding plan and environmental analysis that includes science-based catch limits to prevent overfishing and recover the species. Pacific sardines are an essential food for marine mammals, Chinook salmon, and other commercially important fish. Sardine collapse can have wide ranging impacts on coastal communities and ocean ecosystems, and in California, has led to sea lions starving and reproductive failure among brown pelicans. Oceana will continue to campaign to recover the sardine population and ensure the rebuilding plan is properly implemented and enforced.
Following a legal challenge by Oceana and Earthjustice, a United States Federal District Court ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to meet its legal obligation to rebuild the U.S. West Coast Pacific sardine population, which has been mismanaged for more than a decade and remains well below healthy population levels. The Fisheries Service must now develop a new rebuilding plan and environmental analysis that includes science-based catch limits to prevent overfishing and recover the species. Pacific sardines are an essential food for marine mammals, Chinook salmon, and other commercially important fish. Sardine collapse can have wide ranging impacts on coastal communities and ocean ecosystems, and in California, has led to sea lions starving and reproductive failure among brown pelicans. Oceana will continue to campaign to recover the sardine population and ensure the rebuilding plan is properly implemented and enforced.
March, 2024
Oregon Legislature Increases Investment in State’s Marine Reserves Program
March, 2024
Oregon Safeguards Marine Reserves and Protected Areas
Following campaigning by Oceana and its allies, Oregon state lawmakers passed a bill to strengthen and fully fund its system of five marine reserves and adjacent protected areas. The bill will enhance the science, conservation, and management of these areas and better facilitate engagement with coastal communities and Native American tribes. Oregon’s marine reserve program helps to protect the health and biodiversity of the marine ecosystem for ocean wildlife and Oregonians. Combined, the fully protected reserves and less-restrictive protected areas total 117 square miles (303 square kilometers) and nearly 10% of Oregon’s ocean waters.
Following campaigning by Oceana and its allies, Oregon state lawmakers passed a bill to strengthen and fully fund its system of five marine reserves and adjacent protected areas. The bill will enhance the science, conservation, and management of these areas and better facilitate engagement with coastal communities and Native American tribes. Oregon’s marine reserve program helps to protect the health and biodiversity of the marine ecosystem for ocean wildlife and Oregonians. Combined, the fully protected reserves and less-restrictive protected areas total 117 square miles (303 square kilometers) and nearly 10% of Oregon’s ocean waters.
February, 2024
California Funds Ropeless Fishing Gear to Save Whales and Turtles from Entanglements
The California Ocean Protection Council authorized new funding to help prevent whale and sea turtles from becoming entangled in fishing gear, following campaigning by Oceana and its allies. This includes up to $650,000 to advance innovative “ropeless fishing gear” in the state’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery. This investment will help support 20 Dungeness crab fishers who received approval to test the whale-safe gear this spring. If the gear is successful, it could be authorized as soon as 2025 and allow fishing to continue in the springtime, when waters are closed to conventional gear because of the heightened risk of entanglements.
The California Ocean Protection Council authorized new funding to help prevent whale and sea turtles from becoming entangled in fishing gear, following campaigning by Oceana and its allies. This includes up to $650,000 to advance innovative “ropeless fishing gear” in the state’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery. This investment will help support 20 Dungeness crab fishers who received approval to test the whale-safe gear this spring. If the gear is successful, it could be authorized as soon as 2025 and allow fishing to continue in the springtime, when waters are closed to conventional gear because of the heightened risk of entanglements.
February, 2024
Imperiled Southern Resident Orcas Listed as Endangered by State of Oregon
February, 2024
On-Demand Fishing Gear is on the Table in the South Atlantic
January, 2024
California Protects Endangered Whales by Reducing Harmful Fishing Gear and Delaying Dungeness Crab Season
California first delayed the opening of the 2023-2024 commercial Dungeness crab fishery and then reduced the number of crab traps that can be deployed in the water off the central and southern California coast by 50%. These measures were implemented to protect humpback whales from becoming entangled in commercial crab fishing gear. They came in response to excessive whale entanglements and a high number of humpback whale sightings, plus the discovery of a critically endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle found entangled and drowned in commercial Dungeness crab gear. Oceana is a member of the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group and successfully advocated for stronger measures to protect whales from entanglement.
California first delayed the opening of the 2023-2024 commercial Dungeness crab fishery and then reduced the number of crab traps that can be deployed in the water off the central and southern California coast by 50%. These measures were implemented to protect humpback whales from becoming entangled in commercial crab fishing gear. They came in response to excessive whale entanglements and a high number of humpback whale sightings, plus the discovery of a critically endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle found entangled and drowned in commercial Dungeness crab gear. Oceana is a member of the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group and successfully advocated for stronger measures to protect whales from entanglement.
