Blog-Wa, the Dog-Wa Blog

If you’re a sushi fan or a fish lover, then you should know that bluefin tuna has reached a critical threshold.

Some fish conservationists claim the bluefin is now as endangered as the panda and the tiger.

We just read that one of the UK’s sandwich chain restaurants, Pret A Manger, has removed bluefin from their menu.  This came as a result of the owner of Pret A Manger seeing the film “The End of the Line,” which chronicles the plight of the bluefin tuna and describes how modern fishing is destroying the oceans’ ecosystems.  This is a small step in the right direction, and we applaud Pret A Manger.

Still, we’ve all heard about overfishing and depletion of fish stocks for years.  But the fishing goes on.

But it seems like there may be some change coming.

On Friday, President Barack Obama launched a plan to protect the oceans, U.S. coasts and Great Lakes from the threats of climate change, pollution and overfishing.  This is the launch of a task force to recommend a national policy to protect and restore “the health of ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources” within 90 days.

Here’s part of what President Obama had to say:

“To succeed in protecting the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes, the United States needs to act within a unifying framework under a clear national policy, including a comprehensive, ecosystem-based framework for the longterm conservation and use of our resources.

In order to better meet our Nation’s stewardship responsibilities for the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes, there is established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (Task Force), to be led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.”

From what we can tell, the plan isn’t in place yet.  So now is the time to become involved.   It’s clear that the health and safety of the oceans, and the maintenance of biodiversity, is critical for all of us.

Get involved

Send an email, fax, or letter, or place a call to your lawmaker.  Let them know that now is the time to bring together a coherent, cohesive plan and get to work.

If you wish to submit your comments directly to the Council of Environmental Quality, the address is:

Council on Environmental Quality
722 Jackson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20503

Nancy Sutley is President Barack Obama’s appointment to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Here’s the website for The End of the Line.

Here’s the trailer for The End of the Line: