Purpose: S. 859 increases funding for rescuing stranded or entangled marine animals. Previous funding was limited to stranded animals.
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Status: Passed by House and introduced in Senate.
Action: SUPPORT. Please contact your two U.S. Senators and urge them to support S. 859. Tell your Senators that this bill enhances the measures in place already to protect marine mammals from stranding and entanglement.
Talking Points for your letter:
- Marine mammals often become trapped in fishing equipment and are not able to escape on their own.
- S. 859 requires that rescue methods for trapped marine mammals are reviewed and updated. It provides the funding necessary for a number of groups to develop and implement more efficient methods of rescuing animals that have been stranded by or entangled in fishing equipment.
- S. 859 also includes more provisions for emergency rescues, increasing the number of marine mammals that can be saved, as well as limiting their suffering. Without emergency rescue programs, entangled animals would be left to languish in fishing gear.