AR-News: HUMANElines Issue 262

Thu Sep 4 16:33:40 EDT 2003

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Issue 262 --- September 4, 2003 
A Project of The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for
Animals
http://www.humanelines.org/

CORMORANTS STILL NEED YOUR HELP: 

September 12 is the deadline for citizens to send in their comments to
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regarding the current
incarnation of its proposed cormorant control plan. This draft of the
plan (the "draft EIS") calls for an expansion of the government's yearly
cormorant killing from the current 45,000 to an estimated 160,000. The
reasoning behind the plan is specious, at best: While the government
blames the cormorants for declining fish stocks, research indicates that
a combination of other human-caused factors-- over-fishing, pollution,
and competition by non-native fish-is far more likely to cause fish
declines. Even in places like aquaculture facilities and fish
hatcheries, where cormorants sometimes do inflict damage, non-lethal
means such as bird-proof barriers over ponds, facility design changes,
and tactics to scare the birds away can effectively minimize the damage.
Simply killing the birds off is unlikely to protect fish. Whatever the
final cormorant plan, it will likely impact the policies concerning
other fish-eating birds, like pelicans and the great blue heron. Some of
you may have written to the USFWS earlier this year regarding its
cormorant-killing plan (while it was still in its "proposed rule"
stage). Those letters helped to reduce the number of states involved,
which may slightly reduce the numbers of birds that could be killed.
With one more final push of letters, we can help the cormorants even
more! 

WHAT YOU CAN DO: 

Please send your comments by Sept. 12 to the USFWS regarding its Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on double-crested cormorant
management in the United States. 

	Division of Migratory Bird Management
	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
	4401 North Fairfax Drive
	Mail Stop MBSP-4107
	Arlington, VA 22203
	Fax: 703-358-2272
	E-mail: cormorants at fws.gov 

Two parts of the FWS plan that warrant particular criticism are the
expanded lethal control at fish farms and winter roosts and the new
public resource depredation order. 
See http://www.hsus.org/ace/18908 for details & talking points.

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IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR ALABAMA'S FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW:

A hearing for the first person to be charged with felony animal cruelty
in Alabama is scheduled for Monday, September 15th. Earlier this year,
Robert Elathain Clay, Jr. pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty after
he allegedly tied a shoelace around a kitten's neck, poured lighter
fluid on her, and set her on fire to die. Although the plea agreement
includes a five-year prison sentence, it is still uncertain if Clay will
actually serve time behind bars for his violent crime, or if he will
instead receive a suspended sentence and probation. Robert Clay's
cruelty case is particularly important because Alabama has a notoriously
poor record of prosecuting felony animal cruelty cases. Alabama enacted
its felony animal cruelty law more than three years ago, and yet the
Clay case is one of only two reported felony animal cruelty convictions
since the law took effect. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO: 

Contact Circuit County Judge Jackie Hatcher before September 15, and ask
her to enforce Alabama's felony animal cruelty law to make sure Robert
Clay serves significant jail time as part of his sentencing, and that he
not be allowed to get off solely with probation. Above all, urge Judge
Hatcher to mandate psychological counseling for Mr. Clay and to prohibit
him from owning or harboring animals in the future. 

	The Honorable Jacqueline M. Hatcher
	Colbert County Courthouse
	201 North Main Street
	Tuscumbia, AL 35674 
	Fax: (256) 386-8510

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UPDATE: VICTORY AGAINST DEADLY NAVY LFA SONAR:

In a resounding victory for whales and other marine mammals, a federal
court has ruled that, contrary to the Bush Administration's directives,
the Navy may not deploy its high-intensity LFA sonar system across most
of the world's oceans. The LFA (Low Frequency Active) sonar system,
which is used to detect submarines, delivers noise blasts so intense
that they may deafen, injure, and even kill any whales or other marine
mammals who happen to be in its path. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth LaPorte
agreed that the LFA sonar could "irreparably harm" marine life, and
ordered the Navy to begin negotiations with The HSUS, the National
Resources Defense Council, and other plaintiffs on a plan for safely
deploying the sonar system in a limited area. This ruling sends a clear
message to the Bush Administration-- which had given the Navy virtually
free rein to operate its LFA sonar system in 75% of the world's oceans--
that it cannot flout our nation's environmental laws. 

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STUDENTS: GET ON THE HILL FOR NATIONAL TRAINING AND STUDENT LOBBY DAY: 

Join students from across the nation in Washington, DC to learn the nuts
& bolts of lobbying and voice your support for animal protection
legislation on Capitol Hill. Help make an impact on the federal laws
that affect the lives of animals everywhere by speaking up for animals
to your Members of Congress and their staffers! Sponsored by the Student
Animal Rights Alliance, Animal Protection Institute, Fund for Animals,
and Humane Society of the United States. For more info and to register,
visit: http://www.defendanimals.org/lobby or call the Student Animal
Rights Alliance at 212-696-7911.

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To receive directly, call 202-955-3668 or email humanelines at hsus.org For
more information on legislation, how to find your legislators, or past
HUMANElines, go to http://www.hsus.org/ or http://www.fund.org/ 

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