Phil Kline | Be a Seed for Change

VICTORY! Send a letter to President Obama to thank him for his support for transparency at the IWC.

Japan’s annual whale slaughter in the Southern Ocean took a huge blow last week.

That’s because vote buying at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is history. Countries like Japan can no longer bribe poorer countries to support their pro-whaling stance. Whale conservation finally has a fighting chance.

The US delegation did the right thing and supported this measure. What a difference a year and a few million actions from whale lovers like you can make. This is your victory and a huge step in the right direction.

The Obama Administration deserves some credit as well. Please take a minute and thank them for their leadership. Your letter will be sent to President Obama and his administration, thanking them for listening to the voice of the American people.

With supporters like you, we’ve brought the IWC into the 21st century. But we still have work to do. Next year, we need the IWC to allow Greenpeace and other conservation groups to have a voice. Conservation groups have always been at the forefront of whale protection, but have never been able to participate at the IWC meetings.

Please take action now and thank the Obama administration. Thank you for all your good work in support of the whales.

For the oceans,

Phil Kline
Oceans Campaigner
Greenpeace USA

Bluefin tuna are often called the cheetahs of the oceans. That’s because they can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. They can reach lengths of 10 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. But, as magnificent as they are—the bluefin tuna may not survive much longer.

Rampant overfishing has pushed the bluefin tuna to the brink of extinction. Their populations are so low that they’re now considered a delicacy. An individual bluefin tuna can be worth over $100,000 and found at high-end sushi restaurants.

To make matters worse, fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea target Atlantic bluefin during their peak-breeding season. The overfished bluefin aren’t even given a chance to recover their populations. Large fleets of fishing vessels race to encircle whole schools with dangerous nets known as “purse seines.”

The second place that bluefin tuna breed is in the Gulf of Mexico. And, this year, the bluefin tuna have a new threat to contend with—the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The Deepwater Horizon oil disaster resulted in the release of more than 200 million gallons of oil and 1.8 million gallons of toxic dispersants. All of this pollution occurred during the peak of bluefin spawning season.

Clearly, the bluefin tuna need our help.

Please take action and urge the Obama Administration to call on the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to protect spawning bluefin in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea now!

Sincerely,