Background Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans will be making a critical decision this year on whether or not to weaken the standards for the "Dolphin Safe" tuna label.

Tuna fishermen in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) target dolphins because tuna and dolphins form mixed schools. Since the late 1950's, the tuna fishery has killed more than 7 million dolphins. However, since 1990 and the advent of the "Dolphin Safe" tuna program, dolphin deaths have decreased by 97% in the ETP.

The "Dolphin Safe" tuna label has saved the lives of thousands of dolphins. The "Dolphin Safe" label now prohibits use of any tuna caught by chasing and netting of dolphins by fishermen (e.g. non-encirclement of dolphins).

However, politically connected tuna millionaires in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela teamed up with free-trade advocates in the Bush Administration to undercut U.S. dolphin protection laws and open U.S. markets to dolphin-deadly tuna.

The Secretary's finding on the "Dolphin Safe" label is supposed to be based on science, but the politics of trade is winning out over the lives of dolphins.

What You Can Do! Write a letter to Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans:

Tell him not to weaken the standards for the "Dolphin Safe" tuna label. Dolphins should not be chased and netted to catch tuna; there are alternative fishing methods that do no harm to dolphins.

Tell him you will not buy tuna caught by chasing and netting dolphins. Tell him scientists have shown that chasing and netting dolphins causes significant, adverse impacts on dolphin populations, including preventing their recovery from depletion and separating dependent calves from their mothers.

Ask him to add your letter to the Official Decision Record.
Address:
The Hon. Donald Evans
Secretary of Commerce
US Department of Commerce
14th Street and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20230
(No Deadline for Comments)

Send a copy to:
Regional Administrator, Southwest Region
National Marine Fisheries Service
501 Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200
Long Beach, CA 90802-4213
Fax: (562) 980-4027
(Presently, there is "NO current Deadline' for Comments to Regional Administrator: 4/16/02)

THANK YOU! for your efforts on behalf of dolphins
For more information, please contact:
International Marine Mammal Project
Phone: (415) 788- 3666
E-mail: marinemammal@earthisland.org