Program Term Archive

Marine Wildlife

USMCA Commission: Mexico Must Respond on Vaquita Enforcement Failures

Press ReleaseSeptember 9, 2021Marine Wildlife

Mexico must respond to allegations that the government failed to enforce protections for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, according to a decision by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, an environmental review body...

Petition Seeks US Protections for Atlantic Humpback Dolphin

Press ReleaseSeptember 8, 2021Marine Wildlife

Today, the Animal Welfare Institute and other conservation groups petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to list the Atlantic humpback dolphin under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). Atlantic humpback dolphin populations...

USMCA Commission Urged to Investigate Mexico’s Failure to Protect Vaquita Porpoise

Press ReleaseAugust 11, 2021Marine Wildlife

Conservation groups petitioned the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) today to investigate Mexico’s failure to enforce its fishing and trade laws. Mexico’s enforcement failures violate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and if...

Mexico Drastically Eases Enforcement in Vaquita “Zero Tolerance” Area

Press ReleaseJuly 16, 2021Marine Wildlife

Mexico announced this week that it will ease fishing enforcement in the vaquita’s core Upper Gulf of California habitat at a time when only 10 of these tiny porpoises remain on Earth....

IWC Report Emphasizes Enormous Value of Living Whales to Ocean Ecosystems

Press ReleaseJuly 6, 2021Marine Wildlife

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was founded to regulate whaling. Today, it increasingly focuses on the value of live whales for planetary health. A new workshop report confirms the great ecological value...

AWI Provides Support for Israel Tar Cleanup

Marine Wildlife

In February, in what is being described as one of the worst ecological disasters in Israel’s history, a massive oil spill in the Mediterranean Sea caused hundreds of tons of...

Dubious Ocean Noise Study Seeks to Corral Wild Whales

Marine Wildlife

AWI has been collaborating with Norway’s largest animal welfare group, NOAH, and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) to oppose a dangerous experiment on wild minke whales that was to begin...

Ship Strike Fells Mother and Calf Fin Whales

Marine Wildlife

In May, two dead fin whales, believed to be a mother and calf, were discovered after they dislodged from the hull of a Royal Australian Navy vessel. The destroyer, HMAS Sydney,...

“Virtual” Standstill at Caribbean Conservation Meeting

Marine Wildlife, Terrestrial Wildlife

In March and April, AWI marine animal program director Susan Millward and consultant Courtney Vail participated in the ninth meeting of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee to the United...

Ringing Up No Sale on Shark Fins

Marine Wildlife

The Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act (HR 2811), a bill that would prohibit the sale of shark fins, was reintroduced in the House of Representatives this past Earth Day with...