Stop the war on the ocean

Sea Turtle Restoration Project POB 400 • Forest Knolls, CA 94933 Ph: 415-488-0370 • Fax: 415-488-0372 • www.seaturtles.org • • • MEDIA ADVISORY• • • TIE IN: October is Family Health Month Environmentalists Draw Connection Between Family Health and Protecting Sea Turtles Consumers Targeted to End Swordfish Consumption MEDIA ADVISORY: For Immediate Release October 22, 2003 CONTACT: Andy Peri (415) 488 0370 x104 (office), (415) 303 0000 (pager), (415) 601-2434 (cell) andy@seaturtles.org What: Festive family parade to raise awareness of the link between family health and endangered sea turtles Why: Longline swordfishing is dangerous to humans and fatal to sea turtles When: Saturday October 25 at 11AM Where: The corner of Jefferson and Hyde in Fishermen’s Wharf, San Francisco Who: Sea Turtle Restoration Project, the Animal Protection Institute, In Defense of Animals, and the Marin Coalition for Peace and Justice. San Francisco, CA – On Saturday October 25, the Bay Area-based Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) will hit the streets dressed in sea turtle costumes for a festive parade to educate the public about the link between family health and endangered sea turtles. Sea Turtle Restoration Project members will be adorned in sea turtle costumes handing out information in Fishermen’s Wharf to educate the public about the health and environmental risks associated with eating certain types of fish. Bay Area consumers of seafood are being asked to avoid swordfish, shark, and tuna, which in addition to being harvested by methods that also kill endangered leatherback sea turtles, contain high levels of mercury, which poses a threat to human health. “Pacific leatherback sea turtles are on the verge of extinction and swordfish contains dangerous levels of mercury,” said Andy Peri, Marines Species Campaigner with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project. “We are asking the public to take a few simple actions to protect their health and the ocean. Number one on that list is to stop eating swordfish which is caught by longline fishing.” Two recent studies published in Nature identified industrial longline fishing as the major cause of the decline of both leatherback sea turtles and giant predatory fish such as swordfish, tuna and sharks. A number of other studies have also indicated that longline fishing is driving Pacific leatherbacks turtles to extinction. If nothing is done to reverse the decline, the leatherback is expected to go extinct in 10-30 years. The same type of industrial longline fishing that is killing leatherbacks is bringing swordfish, shark, and tuna to consumers. Studies have indicated that these fish have mercury contamination levels high enough to require health warning labels in supermarkets in California. Both the FDA and State of California warn against consumption of these fish. Mercury is especially problematic for developing fetuses and women of child-bearing age. B-roll video, photos and other media graphics available, contact Andy Peri 415 488 0370 ext. 104 For more information on Mercury Awareness campaign, visit http://www.seaturtles.org/prog_camp2.cfm?campaignID=20 ###