Right Whales In Trouble

We need your help right now to protect highly endangered North Atlantic right whales from entanglement in fishing gear. Since it’s estimated that there are only about 350 of these whales left in the world, each one we can save has the potential to rescue this species from the brink of extinction.
Unfortunately, it’s been a tough year so far for North Atlantic right whales. Fishing gear entanglement has been a factor in the death of two right whales since January. One was a male entangled in fishing gear for five years, and the second was a young calf making its way north from the calving grounds off Florida for the first time. Even now, a third whale, a female last sighted free of gear in September, 2006, was seen entangled off Cape Cod. She’s still alive, but attempts to remove the gear have so far proven unsuccessful.
We need your help in getting the word out about this problem. Learn how you can help save North Atlantic right whales >>
Good Mate Asks Boaters To Pitch InIn 2006, over 7.5 million pounds of marine debris were collected worldwide along our coastlines, rivers, and lakes. These same waters provide relaxation, adventure, escape and recreation to the boating community.
Ocean Conservancy is expanding our “Good Mate” boater outreach program to engage recreational boaters as environmental stewards through the International Coastal Cleanup. The ICC is just one step among many that boaters can and should take to be stewards of the waterways they enjoy.
Ocean Conservancy is also busy developing a kit of promotional materials tailored to boaters. Decals with tips on clean boating, new ICC posters and brochures specifically targeting boaters and an educational CD about other pollution such as sewage, fuel and oil will be available. With these new materials and new partnerships with National Marina Day (August 11, 2007) and the US Power Squadron, Ocean Conservancy will encourage boaters and marinas to be ICC Site Captains and coordinate cleanups in the waters they care so deeply about. Ocean Conservancy’s Good Mate program is supported by the Brunswick Public Foundation.