I ask you to take a moment to imagine dolphins, skimming over a crystal sea, laughter in their eyes and water flying off their glistening backs. Afterwards, imagine thousands of people across the world, wanting to protect and defend these beautiful and magnificent creatures. Now imagine dolphins being trapped in nets and strangled to death, all to catch yellowfin tuna. Purse seine fishing, as the practice is called, involves chasing pods of dolphins in order to capture the yellowfin tuna that, for some reason, like to swim underneath. Dolphins are killed in the process, whether from strangulation and drowning in the nets, or from the stress that follows the chase.

When a consumer buys a tuna can with the "dolphin-safe" label, it signifies that the tuna was not caught using methods that injured or harmed dolphins. However, the Department of Commerce, a United States federal agency, plans to allow tuna caught with the purse seine fishing method to be given a "dolphin-safe" label. This is the ultimate misnomer, for purse seine fishing has killed over 7 million dolphins since the practice started. A proposal such as this cannot be allowed to pass, or to be put into action.

The "dolphin-safe" label on tuna cans is important because…well, how many reasons would you like me to offer? The number one reason is, quite obviously, the safety of the dolphins. Purse seine fishing has a myriad of effects on dolphin pods. Death is one of them, as thousands of dolphins are being drowned annually in the tuna nets. This damages the already-limited dolphin population, as well as diminish their ability to recover population levels that are safe. For those few who can be considered fortunate survivors, the encircling and chasing that is a part of the fishing method causes stress and injuries to vital muscles and organs. The relentless pursuit of the dolphins also separates dolphin calves from their mothers. Dolphin young are the same as human infants in the sense that they are extremely weak and almost totally dependent on their mothers, so prolonged separation often proves deadly.

There are more issues at stake here, however, than just the welfare of dolphins. People need to know, especially in such a chaotic time, that they can trust our government. To allow a "dolphin-safe" label to be put on a product that truly is not dolphin safe, seems to be a violation of the trust between the American government and the American people. Why violate such a sacred trust, especially if the problem can be so easily solved? Over 97% of tuna are caught in ways that ensure no harm comes to the dolphin population. It is easy to see that purse seine fishing is not the only way to trap tuna – so why condone it in such a matter.

This question affects the environment, the wildlife, and the bonds between you, the President, and we, the people. Will you do what is morally right, and stop the jeopardization of the "dolphin-safe" label, as well as the jeopardization of dolphin life and the jeopardization of your country’s trust? The choice is up to you.

Sincerely,

Ashley G.
Hialeah Gardens, FL