Today, Mission Blue, Oceana and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) delivered a letter to President Obama calling for renewed U.S. leadership at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to end subsidies that contribute to overfishing.
In the letter, 77 prominent environmental leaders and groups, including conservation organizations Oceana and WWF, marine scientists Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Daniel Pauly, and celebrity activists Leonardo DiCaprio, Chevy Chase and Darryl Hannah wrote, “The United States has played a strong role across successive administrations, to achieve new rules for fisheries subsidies at the WTO. Recent developments at the WTO may threaten to derail years of progress towards a successful result. We urge you at this important juncture to send clear and public signals that a genuine ‘win’ on fisheries subsidies remains a critical priority for the United States at the WTO.”
Citing government subsidies as one of the most important causes of the worldwide crisis of overfishing, the letter’s signatories highlighted the urgency and importance of reaching an agreement in the ongoing negotiations at the WTO.
“Now is the time to demonstrate that the WTO is an institution capable of achieving major environmental improvements for the global community. We urge you and your administration to demand a strong and timely fisheries agreement in any deal produced from the Doha Round,” continued the letter.
Read the complete story from Oceana.