See 60 Minutes segment on Vaquitas

This 60 Minutes segment about vaquitas is a must watch!

Join WhaleTimes, Oregon Coast Aquarium’s Oceanscape Network, and Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries as we celebrate 2017 Year of the Vaquita and Save the Vaquita Month every March. Don’t just join us, make a difference. DEMAND sustainable, traceable seafood.

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Vaquitas on 60 Minutes this Sunday at 7 p.m.

Be sure to watch vaquitas and Dr. Barbara Taylor on 60 Minutes (7 p.m. episode) this Sunday! 60 Minutes joined Dr. Barbara Taylor from Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries on a recent population survey in the Gulf of California.

Year of the Vaquita WhaleTimes

 

2017 Year of the Vaquita

If you missed the news, it’s not good. There are only 60 vaquita left in the entire world. This small porpoise is only found in the Gulf of California in Mexico. Vaquita are the most endangered marine mammal species in the world.

If we do not help now, vaquita could become the SECOND whale species to go extinct in 10 years.  Scientists declared the Chinese (baiji) river dolphin extinct in 2006. Sadly, with little or no fanfare.  We can’t allow that to happen to vaquita.

WhaleTimes and the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s Oceanscape Network are working with vaquita experts from Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries and other organizations to raise awareness. We have declared 2017 the Year of the Vaquita. And annually March is Save the Vaquita Month.

Is your seafood vaquita-friendly? It’s simple and yet the most important thing you can do to protect so many species. People who do not insist on sustainably caught seafood are a big part of the problem. (Sorry, we do not have time to sugar-coat this one).

Start TODAY. If you eat shrimp, fish, or other seafood it must be sustainably caught. If you do not know the how it was caught, if other animals were killed in the process, and/or you cannot trace its route from the sea to your plate do not buy it, eat it, or sell it. If the restaurant does not have a sustainable seafood policy, find another one. If your grocery store does not have a sustainable seafood policy, buy elsewhere. Buy locally and sustainably caught seafood whenever you can.

Is there time? We think so. The Pacific gray whales almost went extinct — twice. Northern elephant seals, bald eagles and others almost became extinct, too. Public awareness and concern helped turn the tide and now gray whales, elephant seals, and bald eagles have large healthy populations. Let’s do that for vaquita!

Though 2017 is the Year of the Vaquita, help us start saving the vaquita today.

More to come.

 

Fintastic Friday is here!

Friday May 13, 2016 is an important holiday, Fintastic Friday: Giving Sharks, Skates, and Rays a Voice!

WhaleTimes created Fintastic Friday: Giving Sharks, Skates, and Rays a Voice to help raise awareness and encourage advocacy to protect elasmobranchs. Fintastic Friday SKATE Courtesy NOAA Ocean Explorer wbsmThis special annual holiday is celebrated worldwide.

Humans are not doing their job to protect sharks. Movies, books, and news outlets have created and perpetuated a false, but stereotypical view of sharks. This misguided hatred has caused a lack of compassion  or understanding about sharks’ significant role in the health of the ocean. People hear even less about skates and rays.

On average, only 10 people are killed by sharks a year — in the entire world. BUT people kill more than 11,000 sharks EVERY HOUR of every day. Can you imagine people remaining mum if that number were whales? Dolphins? Penguins? Or some other popular species? Never.

We’ll say it again,  People are not doing their best to protect sharks.

WhaleTimes believes kids are the future of sharks. No one is louder and more enthusiastic than a kid who cares. Kids love sharks. They haven’t seen the movies or heard the skewed, sensationalized, and poorly researched news clips. We want kids from all over the world cheering, SAVE THE SHARKS on this special holiday and every day.

Find out how to celebrate and protect sharks today!