What can you do?What can you do?HEART has provided funds for numerous projects to help the Kemp's ridley sea turtles recover since 1982. Currently HEART supports the work done at the Padre Island National Sea Shore to patrol for sea turtles including nesting Kemps ridleys. Eggs that are found at the Sea Shore are incubated before hatchlings are released. HEART also supports work done at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute at Port Aransas, Texas, to care for stranded sea turtles. One of these sea turtles named Barnacle Bill suffered man-made injuries to all of his flippers and can never be released. Help us buy food for Barnacle Bill. Other donations continue to be needed to meet the costs of supplying educational materials to schools and individuals. Please send checks payable to HEART to P.O. Box 681231, Houston, Texas 77268-1231. (All contributions are tax-deductible.)
You must let your legislators know that you believe sea turtles have a right to exist and that you support conservation laws to protect them. Both federal and state legislators in coastal states need to hear from you. Federal legislators, President Bush and Vice-President Cheney need to hear from voters in ALL states.
Ideas to consider when composing your letter or e-mail:
Since representatives of the shrimping industry contend that all shrimp fishermen are using TEDs properly, it is time to consider another alternatives. Closing the nearshore waters adjacent to the Padre Island National Sea Shore (Texas) to shrimping during the nesting season of the Kemp's ridley would have little affect on the commercial shrimping industry. They have all the rest of the Gulf of Mexico in which to fish.
Establishing a turtle-safe zone along the Gulf of Mexico coastline during the spring months when the sea turtles are present would save hundreds perhaps thousands of them and also benefit the fish and other organisms that are caught and killed in shrimp nets. A marine reserve adjacent to the Padre Island National Sea Shore in Texas would protect nesting Kemp's ridleys and other sea turtles as well as allowing fish and shrimp populations to increase. A pristine marine "wilderness" should be set aside just as forest wilderness areas are being saved.
Although a National Marine Fisheries Service spokesperson recently said that closing certain waters to shrimping is not the answer and that law enforcement will protect the sea turtles, they are also the first to say that they have limited staff to provide a consistent and sufficient level of law enforcement to find law breakers. Closing certain areas to shrimping would allow fly-overs to quickly check for anyone shrimping in a closed zone.
The state of Texas has historically left law enforcement of the Turtle Excluder Device law under the Endangered Species Act up to the Coast Guard and federal agencies; however, the Kemp's ridley sea turtles and four other species are listed on the Texas Endangered Species List. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wardens patrolling docks for proper installation of TEDs and performing surprise boardings within the nine miles of state waters would contribute greatly to protection of sea turtles.
YOUR HELP NEEDED URGENTLY!
NOAA's PROTECTED RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT TEAM (PRET) is needed on the south Texas coast today! Shrimpers are entering the 5 miles closure area at will. The PRET boats working with Texas Parks and Wildlife law enforcement can stop this illegal fishing!
Write:Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Dr. Bill Hogarth
1315 East West Highway SSMC3
Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910
Following are addresses to use:
U.S. Senators c/o U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 U. S. Representatives c/o U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515
Congressional switchboard in Washington, D.C.: 202-225-3121
Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne Department of the Interior l849C Street NW Washington, D. C. 20002FAX 202-208-5048
President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500 White House comment line: 202-456-1111 White House FAX Line: 202-456-2461 President's E-mail: president@whitehouse.govVice President Cheney E-mail: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
URGENT! Please ask Texas Governor Rick Perry to publicly support the Texas Parks and Wildlife's proposal to close coastal waters to shrimping out to 5 nautical miles from shore to allow shrimp, fish and sea turtles to thrive.
Governor Rick Perry
Texas State Capitol, Room 2S.1, Austin, Texas 78701. Hotline for Texas residents 1-800-252-9600 Out-of-state 512-463-2000 FAX 512-463-1849Write to Texas Senators at P. O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711 or FAX to 512-463-0326.
Write to Texas Representatives at P. O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711 or FAX to 512-463-5896
