Court Strikes Down Bush Effort to Weaken Dolphin Protection

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Federal Court Strikes Down Bush Administration's Effort to Weaken Dolphin Protection

8/10/2004 9:54:00 AM

To: National Desk, Environment Reporter

Contact: David Phillips, 415-788-3666 ext. 145 or 415-713-1674 (cell), or Mark J. Palmer, 415-788-3666 ext. 139 or 530-758-6022, both of the Earth Island Institute

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Earth Island Institute's International Marine Mammal Project announced a major legal victory for dolphins today. Federal Judge Thelton Henderson, in the case Earth Island Institute v. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, ruled that the US Commerce Department's weakening of the "Dolphin-safe" label on tuna cans illegally ignored scientific evidence. He ordered a prohibition on the use of a "Dolphin-safe" label on any tuna products caught by netting dolphins.

David Phillips, Director of Earth Island Institute, stated: "Thankfully, the courts have averted a disaster for dolphins. Judge Henderson's ruling exposes the Bush Administration's deceit in ignoring its own scientists and caving in to Mexican demands to allow dolphin-deadly tuna back into US with a phony label."

Phillips continued: "Secret court documents proved that the government knew all along that netting dolphins was jeopardizing their very survival. Yet the Bush Administration still went ahead and ruled that tuna trade with Mexico was more important than dolphin lives".

In a 51-page decision handed down today, Federal District Court Judge Henderson stated that: "The record convincingly demonstrates that the Secretary (of Commerce) nonetheless proceeded to sacrifice the integrity of the decision-making process by disregarding the best available scientific evidence in favor of political and diplomatic considerations

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=111-08102004

[Robbien]

1. Yay!

About time someone had some sense.

With netting and all the tumors showing up on turtles and dolphins, it is not safe to be a member of the Ocean wildlife in BushCo's world.