Governor Raimondo’s “Task Force to Tackle Plastics” is a good start for the state to start taking on plastic pollution. But to really face the problem head-on, Rhode Island must ban single-use plastics and push the state closer to Zero Waste.
The prosperity of future generations of New Englanders depends on the health of our waters and marine resources and the public’s ability to access them.
Right now, the United States has some of the best-managed fisheries in the world. But a bill that just passed the House of Representatives is putting that at risk. Many fishing communities in New England and across the country currently have the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to thank for their economic health.… Continue reading Federal Fisheries Bill Undermines the Health of Our Oceans
“This bill is a giant step backward for fisheries and fishing communities,” said Peter Shelley, Senior Counsel at CLF. “We need fishery management practices based on science and accountability, not the whims of politicians, and we applaud the representatives who voted against this bill. CLF will continue to fight for a national fisheries law with strong environmental protections that benefits our fisheries, fishing communities, and marine ecosystem.”
New England’s cod and other groundfish populations have plummeted to historic lows because of decades of overfishing. Our current system of monitoring isn’t bringing back accurate data, and a new amendment is an opportunity to improve it.
It’s finally summer in Maine – and that means lots of opportunities to get outside and enjoy everything from whale watching, to fishing, to visiting our local farmers’ markets. CLF works every day to protect the things we all love about these long, hot days in Vacationland – not only because of the opportunities for… Continue reading Summer in Maine, Thanks to CLF
“Don’t be fooled by the devil on his way out the door because there’s another one waiting in the wings,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “There is no doubt that the next EPA administrator will be another Scott Pruitt—in bed with the fossil fuel industry and rolling back environmental protections with a vengeance.”
As National Ocean Month ended last week, I’m reflecting on the past month. Things may seem bleak, with the Trump administration pushing an agenda that disregards the health of the ocean we were celebrating, but I found hope in my colleagues and comrades. These incredible people and their work holding Trump accountable for his determinantal actions are what I celebrated this month.
In an executive order, Trump revoked the nearly decade old National Ocean Policy established by President Obama in 2010, stripping our nation of its policy of ocean stewardship and replacing it with one of maximum ocean exploitation..
North Atlantic right whales are on the brink of extinction. So few are left that your chances of spotting one in the wild are slim, but thanks to technology, you can track the latest intel on New England’s native whales, including up-to-the minute sighting information.
