Tell Canada to End Bottom Trawling

Bottom trawling involves dragging huge, heavy nets along the sea floor. Large metal plates and rubber wheels attached to these nets move along the bottom and crush nearly everything in their path. All evidence indicates that deep water life forms are very slow to recover from such damage, taking decades to hundreds of years - if they recover at all.

If allowed to continue, the bottom trawlers of the high seas will destroy deep sea species, before we have even discovered much of what is out there.

Scientists and governments (including Brazil, Germany, the UK, Palau, Australia and the US) worldwide are calling for a moratorium on high seas bottom. But the Canadian government�s obstructionist position and tactics is helping block action at the UN.

Send this letter telling Canada to be an Ocean Defender, not an Ocean Destroyer!

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Dear Prime Minister Harper,

Re: Canada joining the majority of the international community in support of a UN moratorium on high seas bottom trawling

I am concerned and disappointed that Canada's new government has announced it will oppose a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling at the upcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

Given the known impacts of bottom trawl gear on the ocean floor, our lack of knowledge about deep-sea habitats and species and the complete lack of regulation on an estimated 75% of the high seas, it is essential that Canada take action. I urge you to join responsible nations like the United States, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. in their support of a UN resolution establishing a temporary "time out" from destructive bottom trawl fishing

Canada does not have any bottom trawlers fishing on the high seas, thus supporting a moratorium poses no threat to the livelihoods of Canadian fisher. It does, however, have much to gain. A moratorium on high seas bottom trawling would solve the long-standing problem of unregulated bottom trawling on the nose and tail of the Grand Banks.

In June of this year, your Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn said that, "bottom trawling does damage to the stocks, and it does damage to habitat". Having acknowledged this, Canada has a responsibility to take leadership on the international stage and support a moratorium. By joining with nations like Spain (which is responsible for most the high seas bottom trawling) in opposing the moratorium, Canada is allowing the destruction of un-charted habitat in unregulated seas to continue unabated.

Prime Minister, please reconsider your position on high seas bottom trawling. Listen to the scientists, fishermen, Canadians and the global public who are calling for protection of deep sea life. Become a deep-sea defender and support a UN moratorium on high seas bottom trawling.

"Sincerely," and your name and contact information will be added to the end of the letter.

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Tell Canada to End Bottom Trawling

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