Target: California Fish and Game Commission
Goal: Thank California for protecting marine species
The California Fish and Game Commission recently passed a progressive new measure to protect the state’s marine wildlife. Californian waterways, and the ocean in particular, are jam packed with majestic ocean dwellers—turtles, sharks, dolphins, whales, tuna, and seabirds are all common. However, all of these species depend on forage fish, krill, herring, anchovies, and the like, for sustenance. The Fish and Game Commission recently decided to protect forage fish and ensure the ongoing preservation of California’s coast.
California’s Pacific coast is of global importance. Aquatic life from across the world migrates through it, and all of these animals need the forage fish to thrive. The five members of California’s Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to expand the protections offered to forage fish; forage species are no longer to be exploited, and established fisheries will not be allowed to expand their operations until they prove that they are sustainable.
This decision will bring more tourists (and therefore more money) to the Pacific coast and compel fisheries to produce a more sustainable, healthy, and high quality product. This decision will bring multiple benefits upon both the environment and California’s economy, and the benefits will quickly be made obvious. The California Fish and Game Commission has made a fantastic decision and the organization should be thanked for it.
Dear Members of the California Fish and Game Commission,
California’s coastline is of the utmost importance, both for the state and for the world. It draws countless tourists to California every year, providing a boon to local economies. Additionally, it serves as a vital migratory route for the world’s aquatic life. Birds, sharks, sport fish, whales, and dolphins all travel through or make their homes in the picturesque Pacific waters of the California coast.
All of these species are marvels of nature, however, all of them are dependent on decidedly non-glamorous forage fish: creatures such as krill, anchovies, and herring. All of the aforementioned species feed on these fish. If the forage fish disappeared, so would the creatures that feed on them—the creatures that bring the tourists. Hopefully, your laws against exploiting forage fish will prevent that. Furthermore, the environmental regulations you have placed on fisheries are commendable and will positively impact local ecosystems and the product of the fisheries.
If it were not for the forage fish, both the ecosystem and the economy would suffer. You clearly understand this and have made the necessary decisions to protect them. No longer will they be exploited, and no longer will fisheries be able to operate in environmentally irresponsible ways. You have managed to do what often seems impossible—strike a balance between protecting the environment and protecting the economy. This is an impressive feat and I thank you for it.
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Hello, I am Bruce via Flickr