SeaWeb and NRDC Declare Victory for North Atlantic Swordfish Washington, August 1 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and SeaWeb today applauded groundbreaking action by the federal government to protect juvenile north Atlantic swordfish, one of the two principal goals of the Give Swordfish a Break Campaign. "The government's decision to close swordfish nursery areas to fishing is an major victory for swordfish," said Lisa Speer, Senior Policy Analyst with NRDC. "Coupled with the adoption of an international recovery plan last November for swordfish -- the other major goal of the campaign -- this decision will set north Atlantic swordfish firmly on the road to recovery," said Speer. Vikki Spruill, Executive Director of SeaWeb added that the government1s action "is also victory for the thousands of chefs, restaurants, grocery chains and consumers who answered the call to "give swordfish a break." The rule closes, on a seasonal basis, 132,670 square miles of ocean to Atlantic pelagic longline fishermen. It is expected to result in a reduction of juvenile swordfish discards of between 31% and 42%. SeaWeb and NRDC said they would end their formal campaign to urge chefs, consumers and others to avoid north Atlantic swordfish. "It's now a personal choice," said Spruill. In deciding whether or not to eat swordfish, the groups suggested that consumers consider the fact that while recovery measures are now in place for north Atlantic swordfish, the population is still depleted. "Full recovery will depend on prompt and effective implementation, monitoring and enforcement of both the international recovery plan for swordfish adopted in November, 1999 and the nursery area closures announced this week," said Speer. There are other problems associated with longline gear used to catch swordfish in the Atlantic that remain to be addressed, the groups added. Longline gear is non-selective and catches and kills large numbers of sea turtles, sharks, billfish and other marine wildlife. The government currently is considering ways to reduce the unintended catching and killing of endangered sea turtles, but needs to address the impact of the longline fishery on the broader ecosystem. In bringing the formal campaign to a close, NRDC and SeaWeb noted that while problems remain, the action taken by the government nevertheless represents an unprecedented and enormous step forward for the conservation and recovery of north Atlantic swordfish -- one that would not have happened without the Give Swordfish a Break campaign. The groups congratulated the numerous chefs and others whose participation in the campaign was crucial to its success. "This is really a victory for those thousands of individuals out there who participated in the campaign," said Spruill. "Your voices were heard, in restaurants, grocery stores, and the halls of power in Washington." Give Swordfish a Break was the first large effort to mobilize consumers in support of fish conservation. The magnitude and effect of the campaign grew over the past two years from its initial launch in January 1998 with the support of 27 prominent chefs. Over the course of the campaign, more than 700 chefs signed the Give Swordfish a Break pledge, while others -- the Peabody Hotel chain, cruise lines, grocery stores, airlines, and uncounted others -- agreed to remove north Atlantic swordfish from their menus and dining choices. "We are incredibly proud of having begun this discussion on sustainable seafood," said Spruill. "We hope consumers will continue asking questions about the environmental impacts of their seafood choices."