Julie Jacobson, Member, Hawai`i County Council
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Stop LFAS Worldwide Network - The Stop LFAS Worldwide Network is an international, unincorporated association of individuals and affiliated organizations dedicated to the task of creating public awareness about the risks associated with any country deploying Low Frequency Active Sonar (LFAS), including the United States. While most Network associates live within the United States, the membership seeks to organize citizens internationally so as to save our oceans and our planet from the perceived acoustic threat of LFAS. For this reason, the Stop LFAS Worldwide Network coordinates its information resources with cetacean protection groups and environmental organizations. Each individual member is encouraged to interact with government leadership encouraging resolution of this global threat through peaceful negotiation.
Associates include authors, journalists, musicians, wildlife photographers and groups which focus on animal rights, and aquarium issues as well as spiritual and healing groups.
The Network provides regular updates on developments related to LFAS to associates, non-associated subscribers to the Network newsletter, governments of the world, the UN and media. The Network maintains an extensive, publicly accessible web site containing information related to LFAS.
Associates participated in Navy workshops discussing LFAS, conducted and participated in the litigation filed to challenge the Navy's Phase III testing program off the Island of Hawai`i, appeared at public hearings conducted by the Navy as part of the EIS process, and filed comments on the draft EIS issued for deployment of SURTASS LFA. Associates participated with marine mammal experts from other organizations in a California Coastal Commission workshop on LFAS.
For extensive information about LFAS, visit the Network's web site.
Contact:
Cheryl A. Magill
3665 Benton Street, Apartment #3
(408) 247-4843
cherylamagill@cs.com
Hawai`i County Green Party - This organization is the Green Party organization on the Island of Hawai`i. The Party earlier brought one of the four suits against the Navy during testing of the low frequency active sonar system off the Island of Hawai`i in March 1998. That suit was dismissed as moot when the Navy stopped the testing and told the court there was no intention to conduct further tests.
For further information, visit the Party's web site.
Julie Jacobson - Ms. Jacobson is an elected member of the Hawai`i County Council. She previously served as Co-Chair of the Hawai`i County Green Party at the time the HCGP became a plaintiff in the March 1998 litigation seeking to stop the testing of the SURTASS LFA system in the waters off the Island of Hawai`i.
As an elected official of the County of Hawai`i, Ms. Jacobson has a commitment and an obligation to protect the citizens of the island. She is familiar with the adverse impacts on at least one human in the water during a broadcast of the SURTASS LFA system off the coast of Hawai`i in March 1998 and has a commitment to preventing further such instances of harm.
In her official capacity, Ms. Jacobson has a commitment and an obligation to protect and preserve the quality of the island's environment, including the ocean environment which surrounds the island. Ms. Jacobson is familiar with the adverse impacts on marine life apparently associated with the testing of the SURTASS LFA system off the Island of Hawai`i in March 1998 and has continuing concerns that such adverse impacts be prevented in the future.
In her official capacity, Ms. Jacobson is committed to protecting the economy of the island from adverse impacts caused by environmental harm. The whale watching industry is a major contributor to the economy of the island. Permitting the deployment of SURTASS LFA poses a threat to the continued viability of that industry.
Contact:
Julie Jacobson
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawai`i 96720
(808) 961-8263
jacobs@hgea.org
Ocean Mammal Institute - The Ocean Mammal Institute (OMI) is a nonprofit organization that does ecologically sensitive research on marine mammals and their interactions with humans. Our research results are directly applied to protecting whales and dolphins. Our data helped convince the Hawaii State Legislature to ban the operation of parasail boats during whale season. Currently, we are studying the effects of boats and engine noise on whales and dolphins.
An OMI research team monitored whale behavior during the SURTASS LFA sonar testing off the Island of Hawaii in March 1998 and documented a humpback whale calf separated from its mother and displaying agitated behavior. They also found a lone dolphin calf in the sonar test area.
OMI is hosting a symposium on LFA sonar in Bar Harbor, Maine on August 14-15, 2000. The goal of this meeting is to clarify the controversial issues involving LFAS in order to facilitate the presentation of accurate information to Congress and the public.
We invite you to attend this symposium and to participate in our research internships where you work in the field with marine mammal scientists helping to collect data to protect whales and dolphins. For further information, visit the OMI web site.
Contact:
Marsha Green
Ocean Mammal Institute
P. O. Box 14422
Reading, Pennsylvania 19612
(610) 921-7580
marshag@alb.edu
Animal Welfare Institute -AWI is a nonprofit charitable organization organized and existing under the laws of Delaware, with its principal place of business in Washington, DC. The Animal Welfare Institute was founded in 1951 to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals, including marine mammals, by humans. The Animal Welfare Institute publishes and distributes books, films and educational materials to the public and provides representation, speakers and exhibits at conferences and meetings around the world to address animal welfare issues. The Animal Welfare Institute and its members remain very concerned about the senseless injury and death of marine mammals by LFAs.
Christine Stevens, President
P. O. Box 3650
Washington, D.C. 20007
(202) 337-2332
awi@animalwelfare.com
Ben White
P. O. Box 3282
Friday Harbor, Washington 98250
(360) 378-8755
freedom@rockisland.com
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - SSCS is a non-profit marine wildlife conservation organization involved in the investigation and documentation of violations of international laws, regulations and treaties that maintain global biodiversity through the protection of marine wildlife. Sea Shepherd's efforts ended the seal hunt in the Scottish Orkney Islands and the dolphin slaughter in Iki, Japan; combatted pirate pelagic whaling in the Atlantic Ocean and illegal driftnetters in the Pacific Ocean, and contributed to the creation of the "dolphin-safe" tuna label and US ban on the import of tuna caught by setting nets on dolphins. The Society is committed to the goal of stopping illegal activities that are decimating marine species. It participated in the public comment process on the Environmental Impact Statement for the SURTASS LFA system, and advised the United States Navy of probable adverse impacts of the system and the inadequacy of the EIS.
For further information, please visit the Sea Shepherd web site.
Contact:
Andrew Christie
P. O. Box 2616
Friday Harbor, Washington 98250
(360) 370-5500
seashepherd@seashepherd.org
Silent Oceans Trust, Inc. - The Silent Oceans Trust, a 501 (c) (3) public non-profit organization, is an international educational foundation of ocean stewardship focusing on raising public awareness of the issue of ocean noise pollution. The primary activity of the Trust is the Silent Oceans Project in celebration of and reverence for the sea as the source of life on the planet. The first annual Silent Oceans Day, September 19, 1999, marked the beginning of a five year process of global consciousness raising, educational programs and the creation of international standards concerning human-made sound pollution in the ocean. The day will be repeated on September 19, 2000 globally.
Every year, Silent Oceans Day calls upon citizens of every nation to observe nine minutes of silence in the seas. In the spirit of cooperation and to the extent that it is possible, ships will turn off their engines, underwater construction will cease, geological blasting and drilling will pause and deafening sonar will be turned off. For nine minutes, we will free the ocean's sound sphere from human interference.
The establishment of Silent Oceans Day will become to the Oceans (70% of the world's surface) what Earth Day is to the land -- a day of shared commitment, awareness, celebration and service. Please join us in this effort and visit the Silent Oceans web site.
Contact:
Silent Oceans Trust, Inc.
24 Village Green Drive
Litchfield, Connecticut 06759-3419
(860) 567-1999
info@silent-oceans.org
Kohanaiki `Ohana - Kohanaiki `Ohana is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization whose goal is to protect the cultural and environmental integrity of Hawai'i's ocean and land resources. The Kohanaiki `Ohana formed in 1990 as a blending of Hawaiian cultural practitioners and environmentalists working together to protect Hawai`išs unique natural and cultural resources by bringing the Hawaiian perspective into the planning process. The `Ohana continues to advocate for environmental justice; the civil and social rights of the people of Hawaiši; for citizenšs voices to be heard; and for Hawaiian values to be integrated into land use policies.
For further information, please visit the Kohanaiki `Ohana web site.
Contact:
Angel Pilago/Karen Eoff
P. O. Box 4753
Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i 96745
kohonaiki@kona.net
Universal Cetacean Institute - UCI is a non-profit organization located on the Island of Kaua`i in the Hawaiian Islands. UCI's mandate is to educate the public regarding protection of marine species. UCI's goal is to encourage respect for and intelligent interaction with the marine environment. UCI has a special focus on captive display industries which trap wild dolphins for public display.
Contact:
Dr. Ann West-Tickle
P. O. Box 1359
Kilauea, Hawai`i 96754
(808) 828-0370
2uci@compuserve.com
Orca Quest - Orca Quest is a Washington State non-profit research project dedicated to research on Orcinus orca (killer whales) and other cetacean species. The primary goal is to establish that the species has a culture as defined by anthropological criteria. The study encompasses behavior as well as other criteria, such as pollution, noise pollution and the effects of sonar on said behavior.
For further information, please visit the OrcaQuest web site.
Contact:
Maureen Startin
Executive Director
Orca Quest
4006 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E., #C-7
Redmond, Washington 98052
(425) 881-5689
orcaquest@aol.com
The Whale Rescue Team is a group of people who care about marine life and the health of the planet. The Whale Rescue Team takes direct actions to rescue and protect marine mammals.
Whale Rescue Team volunteers take to the sea to rescue California grey whales, dolphins, and sea lions from the death grip of commercial gill nets and other fishing gear.
The suffering is far from over. Gill nets continue to cause a tremendous amount of suffering and death of all marine life off the California coast and throughout the world.
In May of 1998 the City of Los Angeles and the City of Santa Monica contracted the WHALE RESCUE TEAM to respond, rescue and transport injured and orphaned marine mammals on those cities beaches. This is the begining of monumental changes in the way Southern California responds to distressed marine life.
When we must, Whale Rescue Team volunteers take to the sea to challenge paid mercenaries who violently capture dolphins and whales. The captive display industry is a powerful force lobbying successfully to weaken domestic and international laws protecting small whales and dolphins. The captive display industry has gone virtually unchallenged for 30 years... Until now. WHALE RESCUE TEAM volunteers have vowed to challenge on land and at sea attempts by any captive display facility to capture dolphins or whales off the California coast.
The Whale Rescue Team also participates in the production of hardhitting documentaries. The lastest release is called A FALL FROM FREEDOM. A FALL FROM FREEDOM exposes the darkside of the captive display industry headed by Sea World and it's owner Anheuser Busch. This powerful documentary has graphic scenes that have never been seen by the public before the release of this important video. A FALL FROM FREEDOM shows the true violence of capturing marine mammals and exposes some of the extreme measures the captive display industry will go to obtain dolphins and whales.
Video copies of A FALL FROM FREEDOM are now available by sending a check or money order for $15.00 made out to the WHALE RESCUE TEAM. We are currently overwhelmed with requests. Please allow 3-4 weeks delivery.
To learn more about the Whale Rescue Team, visit our web site.
Contact:
Peter Wallenstein
Whale Rescue Team
415 Topanga Canyon Blvd
Topanga, California 90290
(310) 455-2729 or contact EARTH VIEWS @ 415-775-4636
whalerescue@earthlink.net