Atlantic cod’s future in New England is overshadowed with existential dread. With so many opinions flying around about what the “science” says or what the fishermen “see,” trying to make sense of what is going on with Atlantic cod with any precision seems a fool’s errand. However, we must not fall victim to the convenience…
Oct 29
2015
2015
Oct 7
2015
2015
Call Your Senators Today to Save Ocean Treasures!
Please, call your Senators today with this urgent message. Just a few minutes of your time could help create a remarkable legacy of protected areas for future generations.
Oct 2
2015
2015
This Week on TalkingFish.org – September 28-October 2
September 28 – River Herring at Risk in New England Waters – While the New England Fishery Management Council has established yearly limits on the allowable river herring bycatch from the Atlantic herring fishery, the Council is currently considering an increase in these river herring catch caps. Protecting Ocean Ecosystems, by Mandy Helwig. September 29 – Fish…
Sep 29
2015
2015
Setting the Record Straight: Marine Monuments Have a Long, Proud Legacy
Former Conservation Law Foundation Staff Attorney Roger Fleming, who is now a part of the Oceans litigation team at EarthJustice, details how the National Monument establishment process through the Antiquities Act serves the public’s interest. By Roger Fleming One hundred-nine years ago this week President Teddy Roosevelt created the first national monument, protecting the magnificent Devil’s…
Sep 17
2015
2015
Cape Cod’s Bays Reach Clean Water Milestone, But the Real Work has Just Begun
This week, EPA approved an update to the Areawide Waste Management Plan for Cape Cod, in an effort to address the nutrient pollution crisis that is killing the bays of the Cape. This approval marks a watershed moment in CLF’s advocacy on behalf of clean water on Cape Cod, but there is much work left…
Sep 9
2015
2015
LePage Stands on the Wrong Side of History with Monument Opposition
The Obama Administration is currently considering a proposal to permanently protect key areas of New England’s ocean as the first Marine National Monuments in the Atlantic, including three deep sea canyons and four sea mountains at the southern edge of Georges Bank. CLF is continuing to urge the administration to include the area between Cashes Ledge and…
Sep 3
2015
2015
President Obama: Declare a Marine National Monument for Cashes Ledge and the Canyons and Seamounts
Today, Conservation Law Foundation and a diverse coalition of partners are calling on the White House to declare the Cashes Ledge Closed Area in the Gulf of Maine and the New England Coral Canyons and Seamounts off the coast of Cape Cod as the first Marine National Monument in the Atlantic. CLF has fought for…
May 1
2015
2015
As 2015 Fishing Season Kicks Off, a Still Uncertain Future for Cod Remains
The 2015 fishing season begins today, May 1, and stricter – but necessary – quotas on Gulf of Maine cod will take effect. Last year, scientists determined that the population of spawning cod had plummeted to historic lows (3 to 4 percent of the target level). In response, the New England Fishery Management Council voted…
Apr 24
2015
2015
Fishery Management Council Spares Cashes Ledge But Puts Other Ocean Habitat at Risk
Cashes ledge, a spectacular underwater mountain range in the Gulf of Maine, has for now been spared by the New England Fishery Management Council, which met this week to vote on whether to open this biodiversity hotspot to the most destructive forms of commercial fishing. But, while the Cashes Ledge Closed Area survived the Council…
Jan 30
2015
2015
This Week on TalkingFish.org – January 26-30
January 30 – Rare Glimpse of Ancient Corals and Other Creatures of the Deep – A video from The Pew Charitable Trusts offers a look at the beautiful deep-sea corals in the mid-Atlantic, and the abundant marine life these colonies support. Dr. Les Watling, a coral expert, explains why they need protection. January 30 – Fish…