US ban on fishing in the Arctic - 11 Feb 2009  
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In what is being viewed as a landmark decision, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council from Anchorage, Alaska has voted unanimously to ban commercial fishing in the entire Arctic Ocean, from Canada to the Bering Strait. The Council spent two years creating a management plan that would control the influx of fishing fleets to protect this fragile ecosystem from potential harm, especially in light of global warming effects that could yield more marine life in the region.

Our most sincere thank you, North Pacific Fishery Management Council, for your leadership in protecting our oceans and the lives within them. We pray noble actions such as yours will inspire many more for the sustainable future of our shared global home.

In an interview on East Coast FM Radio, Supreme Master Ching Hai had expressed her full support of fishing bans and the vegetarian diet to preserve our interconnected ecosystems.

Interview with Supreme Master Ching Hai
By Louise Kings and the Sandman on East Coast FM Radio November 30, 2008 – Ireland

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Just stop the fishing, the government has to forbid fishing because it’s too important to our survival to delay any further. Not only is there overfishing and depleting of the marine life, but there is also side killing. Like when the commercial long liners go fishing, they normally target swordfish but then they’re killing tens of thousands of sea turtles by the way and hundreds of thousands of sea birds and millions of sharks every year.

This accidental killing is about 25% extra of all global catch. In the New York Times on November 2006, there is an article says: “Global collapse of fish species,” like experts predicted that, “in its present pace more and more species will vanish and the global marine ecosystem will collapse.” To stop this destructive practice of fishing, the solution is vegetarian diet, no fishy stuff in our meals. We must protect a living and healthy sea, as it relates to our living and healthy self.