Act NOW to OPPOSE H.R.4043!

In August 2011, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to end the failed translocation program and remove the “No-Otter” Zone in southern California. The stealth bill H.R.4043 that we have dubbed S.O.S (Sacrifice Otters for Shellfish) will undermine the current legal settlement agreement, resulting from a lawsuit brought by The Otter Project and Environmental Defense Center against the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The settlement agreement requires FWS to make a final determination on the fate of the translocation program and removing the “No-Otter” management Zone by December 2012.

What is the bill about?

In short, H.R.4043 claims to encompass military preparedness, sea otter recovery and commercial shellfish fishery interests. In reality, the bill is misleading and a colossal waste of time and money for the following reasons:

• The interests of a small group of fishermen are being placed ahead of southern sea otter recovery efforts. Essentially, the commercial shellfish (sea urchin) interests are happy to trade sea otters to export sushi topping for profits;

• The bill is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. By sneaking in small, vague sections about “maintaining current levels of commercial shellfish harvests,” which cannot be achieved, and continuing to provide special protections for and promoting the agenda of shellfish fishermen under the guise of sea otter recovery and military preparedness;

• The military aspect of the bill is a red herring and designed to disguise the true intention of protection of commercial shellfish fishing interests. Under current law, the military already has sufficient protections in place that allow them to conduct training exercises in Southern California waters;

• The bill will harm southern sea otter recovery efforts. It suggests the continuation of the failed “No-Otter” Zone and further unnecessary research which could possibly take a decade. It seeks to create more bureaucratic red tape and ensure that commercial fishing interests can continue their unsustainable practices.

What we need you to do:

Urge your congressperson and the Natural Resources Committee to OPPOSE  House Bill HR 4043 which undermines the current public process of ending the failed translocation program and the “No-Otter” zone off the coast of southern California and continues delaying recovery of the southern sea otter.

Thank you for taking action in opposition of Bill H.R. 4043 and supporting sea otter conservation efforts by helping us bring an END to this failed program and the “No-Otter” Zone!!