Res. No. 147-99-10771RESOLUTION NO.147-99-10771
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA,RELATING TO;
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS,URGING
CONGRESS TO SUPPORT AND PRESERVE THE MARINE
MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT;PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
WHEREAS,Canadian sealershave just finished killing over a quarter of a
millionsealpupsandarenowtakingdeadaimat United States environmental
laws;and
WHEREAS,Canada's House of Commons Fisheries Committee has
recommended anallout effort toselltheirseal products inthe United States,even
thoughsuchtradeisoutlawedbyourMarineMammalProtectionAct;and
WHEREAS,to get around the United Stateslawsthe House of Commons
Fisheries Committee wantstheCanadian government toactively undermine the
UnitedStatesMarineMammalProtectionActandfileachallengetogetourlaw
overturned bythe World Trade Organization because of international agreements,
the World Trade Organization couldforce America to accept sealparts,even
though nineout of ten Americans areopposedtothe commercial killing of seals;
and
WHEREAS,Canada's currentsealhuntis already byfarthe largest hunt
formarinemammalsintheworld,slaughteringupto half amillionseals,most of
thempups,everyyear ...a killsolargethatCanadianandinternationalscientists
agreeisdepletingthesealpopulation;and
WHEREAS,theMarineMammal Protection forover27yearshas
protected whales,dolphins,manatees,sealsandallothermarinemammals;and
WHEREAS,the Mayor andCity Commission desireto champion the
United States Environmental lawsandurges Congress to support and preserve the
Marine Mammal Protection Act..
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA;
Section1.ThattheCityCommission of theCity of SouthMiamiurges
Congress to support andpreservetheMarine Mammal Protection Act.
Additions shown by underlining and deletions shown by ovcrstriking.
Page 2 of Resolution No.147-99-10771
Section2.Thatacopy of thisresolutionbesenttotheappropriate
UnitedStatesCongressionalrepresentatives,theInternationalFundforAnimal
Welfare,The Humane Society of theUnitedStates,The International Wildlife
Coalition and Public Citizens Global Trade Watch.
Section 3.This resolution shalltakeeffect immediately uponapproval.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 27thday of July ,1999.
ATTEST:.APPROVED:
CITY CLERK
READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM:
eiTY ATTORNEY
Page 2 of 2
Commission Vote:
Mayor Robaina:
Vice Mayor Oliveros:
Commissioner Feliu:
Commissioner Bethel:
Commissioner Russell:
5-0
Yea
Yea
Yea
Yea
Yea
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Commission DATE:7/23/99
CDnM _u ,„^/>/}/I I*AGENDA ITEM #-FROM:Charles D.Scurr/V ff /,Comm.Mtg.7/27/99CityManager(^J^JC^^/United states
—-.,EnvironmentalLaws
The attached resolution sponsored by Mayor Robaina urges Congress to
support and preserve the MarineMammal Protection Act
BACKGROUND
The Marine Mammal Protection Act for over 27 years has protected whales
dolphins,manatees,seals andall other marine mammals.
Canada's House of Commissions Fisheries Committee has recommended an all
out effort to sell their seal products in the United States,even though such trade
is outlawed by our MarineMammal Protection Act.
ANALYSIS
Canada's current seal hunt slaughters up toa half million seals,most of them
pupseveryyear.Ifthe House of Commons Fisheries Committee succeeds
getting the United States Marine Mammal Protect Act overturned by the World
International Trade Organization because of the international agreements
Americans could be forced to accept seal parts,even though nine out of ten
Americansareopposedtothe commercial killing ofseals.
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No tiianB,Canada!-
Americans don't want your seal hunt.
Canadian sealers have just finished killing over a quarter of a
million seal pups.B
Now they are taking dead aim at U.S.environmental laws:
•Canada's House ofCommons Fisheries Committee has recom
mended an all-out effort to sell their seal products in the US.,even
though such trade is outlawed by our Marine Mammal Protection Act.
•To get around our laws,they want the Canadian government to
actively undermine our Marine Mammal Protection Act and file a:
challenge to get our law overturned by the World Trade Organization!'1
(Because of intemationai agreements,the World Trade Organization;
could force America to accept seal parts,even though nine out of
ten Americans are opposed to the commercial killing ofseals.)
•They even recommended a massive cull ofseals,including the
complete elimination ofseals from pans of Canada's East Coast.
Canada's current seal hunt is already by far the largest hunt for
marine mammals in the world,slaughtering up to half a million
seals,most of them pups,every year...a kill so large that Canadian
and intemationai scientists agree it is depleting the seal population.
'~*-•*»».cxsat i
Why do they want to interfere with.US.conservation laws?"
Because Canada has made a mess of its^own conservation efforts.
Canada destroyed its multi-million doljtf Atlantic cod fishery
through gross mismanagement and overfishing.Now,with the
cod only slowly coming back."meTanadian"Pariiament is trying"
topinthe blame onthe seals.,.-..:-«i4»ait»»»«J*;»'
So even though scientists agree that there has never been an
example anywhere in the world where railing a marine mammal
population has helped a commercial fishery,that is exactly what
the House of Commons Fisheries Committee recently proposed.
The committee also recommended that the Canadian government
force open the U.S.market to absorb the grisly products of an even
more massive and cruel seal cull.But to do this,they will need to
weaken one ofAmerica's most important environmental laws:the
Marine Mammal Protection Act that for over 25 years has protected
whales,dolphins,manatees,seals,and all other marine mammals.
No thanks.Canada.We don't need your seal hunt.
And we sure don*t need your advice on conservation.
Call your Congressional Representative at 202/224-3121