Ocean Conservancy Kicks-Off FishVote08

Published on Oct 9, 2008 - 8:26:35 AM

By: Ocean Conservancy

Washington, DC, Oct. 9, 2008 - Americans will be going to the polls in all fifty states this November to pick a new president, vice president, and Congress. But starting today and throughout the election season, Americans of all political stripes can cast their vote for protecting their favorite fish from overfishing and other environmental dangers. Depending on whether voters prefer shrimp cocktail to tuna steaks, this could get every bit as heated and closely fought as the ongoing presidential campaign.

Ocean Conservancy, via the website www.oceanconservancy.org/vote4seafood, has opened the polls for FishVote08, the first ever conservation program directed simply by taste. Seafood lovers, along with environmental advocates and conservation minded individuals, can now elect a favorite from six "candidate" fish, and participate in a coordinated campaign to make their favorite seafood more sustainable.

Voters can choose between: red snapper, black grouper, cod, tuna, shrimp, or salmon. The FishVote08 website highlights the environmental hazards these fish currently face and what Ocean Conservancy and the public can do to help.

"Many seafood lovers face a difficult choice when told to stop eating their favorite seafood because it's unsustainable. FishVote08 gives seafood lovers another option - working together to fix problems and make their favorite fish sustainable." said Mark Powell, Ocean Conservancy's vice president for sustainability partnerships. "Ocean Conservancy wants to help seafood lovers work together to turn every fish into a sustainable fish. Let's fix the problems instead of just walking away -- it's a solution that's as American as apple pie."

Ocean Conservancy has decades of experience working with fisherman and fishery managers to restore troubled fisheries. With growing interest among consumers in seafood sustainability, the time is right to help seafood buyers invest in securing a productive future for their favorite seafood.

Consumers represent one of the most powerful segments of the population since they're the ultimate customers of every fishery and seafood business. Ocean Conservancy believes that seafood lovers should not simply walk away from seafood in peril but rather commit to fixing the problem.

FishVote08 is about more than seafood. Our nation's fisheries and ocean ecosystems are in trouble. Simply put, we are taking many fish out of the ocean faster than they can reproduce, especially for America's favorite fish. Overfishing and other environmental problems have produced sadly depleted populations of some of our nation's favorite seafood. Seafood lovers have a responsibility to help restore the fisheries that provide so much dining pleasure.

To learn more about Ocean Conservancy visit www.oceanconservancy.org.

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