Your Signature is Needed: Tell the NMFS to protect orcas’ food supply before it’s too late

WORLD WHALE DAY IS TOMORROW! It’s the perfect time to celebrate these aquatic mammals, but unfortunately Friend, our celebration is cut short… Only 75 Southern Resident orcas remain, and the population is struggling to grow. These vulnerable whales are up against threats like climate change, ocean acidification, corporate overfishing, and increased vessel traffic. Their fragile habitats are being destroyed, pregnant orcas are losing their babies before birth, and critical orca food sources are being driven away. Chinook salmon—the primary food source for Southern Resident orca whales, is diminishing due to corporate overfishing and bycatch. This fish species once thrived in the Pacific waters and provided nutrition to orcas and nearby coastal communities. Yet commercial fisheries continue to profit from depleting Chinook salmon, recklessly endangering these precious orcas and pushing them close to EXTINCTION. In fact, a marine specialist recently reported that nearly 8,000 fish are unintendedly caught by North American commercial fisheries which can be enough to feed about three or four orcas for a year! With Southern Resident killer whale numbers close to their LOWEST since the 1970’s, each and every fish could help with the survival of these precious mammals. If we are going to restore the already endangered Southern Resident killer whale population, replenishing Chinook salmon is a CRUCIAL first step. [Friend, if we don’t take immediate action to rein in corporate overfishing these endangered orcas could soon be WIPED OUT forever. Will you add your name right now to STOP corporate overfishing and bycatch that’s pushing endangered orcas closer to EXTINCTION?]( [Sign the petition]( These fascinating whales also play a key role in our own health, Friend. They release vital nutrients for phytoplankton, which provides half of the oxygen we breathe, while absorbing hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon each year. The extinction of these whales would cause detrimental impacts to the health of the ecosystem they inhabit and our overall climate. The bottom line: Government environmental agencies like the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have FAILED to rein in the greedy commercial fishing industry. And as a result, the powerful corporations responsible for overfishing and bycatch continue to reap HUGE profits at the expense of local fisheries and vulnerable orcas who are suffering and clinging to life. The fate of Southern Resident orcas depends on Chinook salmon, so it’s URGENT that the NMFS take bold steps to rein in greedy overfishing companies that are threatening the existence of these beloved whales. [Please, Friend, time is running out to SAVE endangered orcas from extinction. Add your name by 11:59 P.M. tonight to DEMAND that NMFS take immediate action to END corporate overfishing of Chinook salmon! >>]( [Sign the petition]( Thank you for speaking up for endangered orcas, Friends of the Earth Contact Us: Friends of the Earth U.S. Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA 1-877-843-8687 [Contact us](foe.org/about-us/contact/) Email Preferences: [Click here to unsubscribe]( Learn more: www.foe.org/news www.foe.org/about-us www.foeaction.org Connect: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Flickr]( © 2021, Friends of the Earth. All Rights Reserved. [supporter]