February 9, 2006
Voices from the deep, sculptures and scientists
For two years the campaign for a moratorium on bottom trawling in international water, and the destruction it causes, has taken us to the high seas, to United Nations meetings and many places in between. Now it brings us to Wellington.
For 5 days starting on 14th Feb there is an international fisheries meeting at Te Papa in Wellington where government representatives from all over the world will decide the fate of deep-sea life in the South Pacific.
This is a crucial point in our efforts to protect life in the deep sea so we'll also be in Wellingtonboth in and around the meeting. We want to make it very clear to the delegates that the world is watching and that they must take this opportunity to do the right thing. We've got some great stuff planned including a deep-sea sculpture installation, a weblog, messages from the deep and a visiting scientist.
There's more detail below but essentially this meeting needs to result in some strong measures to protect deep-sea life, such as an interim ban on bottom trawling while further discussions continue. You can help by sending a message to the meeting here
The Regional Fisheries Management Organisation meeting 14 - 19th Feb
The Wellington meeting aims to establish an organisation and rules to manage fishing and to protect marine life in the international waters of the South Pacific. Known as a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (or RFMO), the first round of negotiations kick off at Te Papa on February 14th but it will take many years to complete the process. Greenpeace will be participating in and around the meeting and will be calling on the countries taking part to put in place an interim ban on bottom trawling while the negotiations take place so that there is actually something left by the time the rules are in place!
To drive this message home our Government needs to keep hearing from concerned people such as yourself!
We have set up an action page on our website where you can easily write a brief message that we will deliver to delegates during the week of the meeting.
Ask the delegates to implement urgent and strong protection measures for deep-sea life while the RFMO talks go on, tell them that deep-sea life needs them to act, and let them know that such action on their behalf will be well supported by the people of New Zealand.
Deep-Sea Scuplture
We'll be displaying a 'deep-sea sculpture installation' in Civic Square, Wellington from the 10th Feb in the lead up to the meeting. Come on down and see life-like deep-sea corals and creatures, learn more about the campaign and send their message to the meeting.
Science
Greenpeace will be hosting a session during the meeting at which an eminent biodiversity scientist will be clearly laying out how important deep-sea life is and why it must be protected.
Weblog
We'll blog all the activities as well as developments at the meeting right here so stay tuned!
