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Press Release September 22, 2023

Groups File Supreme Court Amicus Brief in New England Fisheries Case

The case could significantly affect how federal courts review federal regulations

Document September 22, 2023

Supreme Court Amicus Brief – Loper Bright Enterprise v. Raimondo – New England Fisheries

The case could significantly affect how federal courts review federal regulations

The Kuskokwim River provides a critical source of wild food and serves as a bedrock of identity and cultural values for Alaska Native Tribal citizens and community members living downstream from the Donlin mine site. (Dave Cannon)
Update April 6, 2023

Southwest Alaska Tribes Fight the World’s Largest Pure Gold Mine

The Donlin Gold Mine could soon be built along the Kuskokwim River in Southwest Alaska, threatening a vital ecosystem and Native ways of life.

Article April 19, 2022

Creando Oportunidades para Luchar por la Vida en la Tierra

Para detener la crisis de biodiversidad, de la cual depende la vida silvestre, debemos proteger las tierras y las aguas públicas

Article March 25, 2022

Giving the Earth’s Species a Fighting Chance

To stop the biodiversity crisis, we must protect public lands and waters that wildlife depend on.

Humpback whale lunge feeding in an anchovy-rich cove, off the coast of Santa Cruz, Calif. (David Gomez / Getty Images)
Article July 26, 2021

Congress Considering Revamp of Nation’s Key Fisheries Law

The climate crisis is changing oceans, our laws must address that

Press Release July 15, 2021

Earthjustice Sues Federal Government to Protect Overfished Pacific Sardines

Pacific sardines are key food for whales, seabirds, and salmon, yet fishery managers are failing to rebuild populations

Humpback whale lunge feeding in an anchovy-rich cove, off the coast of Santa Cruz, Calif. (David Gomez / Getty Images)
case April 19, 2021

West Coast Anchovy Catch Limits

The Fisheries Service established a multi-year, unchanging catch limit of 23,573 metric tons that would not change even if the anchovy population collapses. From 2009–2015, scientists documented an anchovy population collapse as thousands of sea lions starved to death on U.S. West Coast beaches and brown pelicans abandoned their chicks due to an inability to…

Press Release February 2, 2021

Earthjustice Files New Legal Actions to Protect Anchovy and Ocean Wildlife as Fisheries Service Again Ignores Court Order

Continued refusal of Fisheries Service to follow court orders puts anchovy at risk of overfishing and threatens whales, sea lions, dolphins, salmon

Humpback whale lunge feeding in an anchovy-rich cove, off the coast of Santa Cruz, Calif. (David Gomez / Getty Images)
Press Release: Victory September 3, 2020

Oceana and Earthjustice Prevail in Lawsuit to Protect Ocean’s Small Fish

Federal judge rules fishery managers failed to prevent overfishing of northern anchovy

Document September 2, 2020

Anchovy Court Order Motions for Summary Judgment

Court order on the Western Pacific anchovy case filed by Earthjustice and Oceana

A juvenile grizzly stands in a summer wildflower field in Yellowstone National Park. The Trump administration's Endangered Species Act rollbacks imperil grizzlies and many other species.
(Photo Courtesy of Tom Murphy)
Press Release January 15, 2020

Western Caucus Proposes to Further Gut the Endangered Species Act

Nearly 20 new bills would continue to undermine the vital conservation law already under attack by the Trump administration

Anchovies have been overfished for many years. The National Marine Fisheries Service recently issued a rule that establishes an unchanging catch limit that does not prevent the overfishing of this essential food source that is so critical to supporting a healthy ocean food web.
(evantravels / Getty Images)
Press Release July 1, 2019

Oceana Sues Feds for Failure to Prevent Overfishing of Ocean’s Tiny Fish

Lawsuit seeks to ensure abundant anchovy populations needed to feed ocean wildlife

Document June 28, 2019

Oceana Complaint Against National Marine Fisheries Service – Overfishing Northern Anchovy

In response to a final rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Oceana, represented by Earthjustice, filed a lawsuit against the Fisheries Service for its continued failure to prevent overfishing, use the best available science or account for the food needs of ocean animals in managing anchovy population.

Anchovies, an essential food source for many marine predators, have suffered from overfishing for years. A recent federal court decision requires the National Marine Fisheries Service to set catch limits for the fish based on current population data.
(evantravels / Getty Images)
Press Release: Victory January 23, 2019

Court Orders Fisheries Service to Issue New Anchovy Catch Limit within 90-days

Anchovies are a critically important food fish for larger ocean predators including whales, sea lions, salmon, and brown pelicans.

Anchovies, an essential food source for many marine predators, have suffered from overfishing for years. A recent federal court decision requires the National Marine Fisheries Service to set catch limits for the fish based on current population data.
(evantravels / Getty Images)
Article: Victory June 14, 2018

Court Says Anchovy Catch Limit Relied on Fishy Data

A federal judge’s decision marks a promising turning point for the anchovy and the health of California’s ocean ecosystem.

Document January 19, 2018

Opinion West Coast Anchovy Catch 1/18/18

Judge Koh ruled that NMFS failed to base their annual catch limit (25,000 mt), acceptable biological catch (25,000 mt), and overfishing limit (100,000 mt) for anchovy on the best available scientific information. At the time NMFS promulgated its Catch Rule, the best available science showed that the anchovy population was likely less than 32,000 mt and anchovy-dependent predators like the California brown pelican and California sea lion had already experienced multi-year starvation and breeding failures due to lack of food. Judge Koh also found that NMFS failed to demonstrate that the rule would prevent overfishing, as required by the Magnuson Act. Because she found it failed to prevent overfishing, she did not reach the claim that the rule also failed to achieve optimum yield by accounting for the food needs of marine predators. Finally, she held that our challenge to the previously established overfishing limit and acceptable biological catch (from which the annual catch limit is derived) was timely under the 9th Circuit Ore. Trollers decision.

Protecting tiny forage fish like the anchovy is good for the ecosystem and the economy.
(evantravels/Shutterstock)
Press Release: Victory January 19, 2018

Court Rejects Catch Limit for California Anchovy Fishery Following Oceana Lawsuit

Ruling finds Fisheries Service disregarded best available science and failed to prevent overfishing