Here’s an email letter I received from an org I support – and one you all should know about. They are doing great things to save marine wildlife off the coast of LA. – Andrea Metz
Dear Ocean Defender’s Alliance Supporters and Fellow Ocean Lovers:
It’s been an interesting and dramatic year and decade for ODA, our nation, and the world on a whole. The start of the 21st Century marks the birth decade for ODA and the wonderful accomplishments to date in the water and onshore – all of which we could not do without your generous help and support!
Despite the widely acknowledged and increasing negative impacts the human population is having on our small planet, as you know there are many smart individuals and organizations fighting for a healthy and sustainable environment on various fronts, some for decades, surely making a positive and lasting difference. Several of you work for these critical causes, and we thank you for your tenacity, trailblazing, and grace.
However, the year and decade ahead holds new challenges for the environmental movement and the entire human race, not to mention our struggling animal friends in the dwindling wild. For the first time in history, far-reaching climate and ocean issues are forefront on most educated peoples’ minds. Perhaps more importantly, our elected officials, authorities, and major corporate lobbies are finally reacting to the urgent messages from scientists and independent NGO/NPO’s, and seem to be working towards diplomatic solutions, such as the MLPA here in California. We can only hope they are not too late to the table on regional and international concerns, and adopt the appropriate policy and action based on sound science.
Over the past decade, ODA has made significant progress towards enlightening Californians about the unseen habitat and wildlife destruction caused by abandoned commercial fishing gear, and taking direct grassroots action to correct this growing problem.
In the beginning of 2009, the LA Times sent staff to report on ODA’s 14-diver coalition formed to begin mitigating the Infidel, a fishing boat wreck featuring a monster-sized net accidentally sunk in 150-feet of water just off Catalina Island. This story led to a significant flurry of similar news articles including some major national coverage. Although we made a lot of progress in 2009 at the Infidel and have greatly reduced the fishing net’s deadly threat to marine wildlife, we still have nearly half the net to waiting to be removed in early 2010 and can’t wait to finish the project.
ODA is very proud to have almost completely removed all the sunken commercial nets off the wrecks of the Olympic and Georgia Straits, as well as significant progress at Old Marine Land and the challenging deep water Caissons. On recent check-up dives to the mitigated wreck sites, we were thrilled to see large fish using the artificial habitat that were not witnessed while covered with nets (sshhhh….don’t tell the fishermen!). Moreover, we’ve made great strides with repairing and outfitting our 38-foot flagship, the “Clearwater”, and appreciate all those who have helped us at the dock.
While 2009 has been our best year in terms of mission success, public awareness, and vital basic funding, we look forward to a great start for 2010, and there are numerous new commercial fishing debris-contaminated sites we plan to fully mitigate in the months and years ahead.
With that said, we hope you and yours have a joyful Holiday Season, and take time to reflect on the decade behind while you plan accordingly for the year and decade coming up soon. Please visit our website (www.oceandefenders.org) for the latest information, calendar, and unique ways to help support ODA in enduring our life-saving mission.
Happy Holidays!
Kurt Lieber
President and Founder
Scott Sheckman
Executive Director
And All Your Friends at ODA
WWW.OCEANDEFENDERS.ORG
PS: SAVE THE DATE – SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2010 – ODA’s first major fundraising event at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Tentatively featuring fascinating presentations by Captain Paul Watson and Helicopter Pilot Chris Aultman of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (featured extensively on Animal Planet’s popular “Whale Wars” series). Also great food and entertainment. Tickets will go on sale soon!
Ocean Defenders Alliance is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law – please consult your tax adviser.