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“Save the Whales” was the rallying cry for many ocean conservation organizations in the 20th century, including Sea Shepherd, who shut down illegal whaling operations across the world, including the Southern Ocean. But in the 21st century, there’s a bigger threat to whales.
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Today, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing threatens to tip the delicate balance of our oceans. 
If those words don’t freeze your heart the way “harpoon ship” does, let us explain why they should [thread]:
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If those words don’t freeze your heart the way “harpoon ship” does, let us explain why they should [thread]:2/8
While Sea Shepherd stopped the Japanese fleet from killing over 6000 whales in the Southern Ocean, it’s estimated over 300,000 whales and dolphins die from entanglement in fishing gear each year, the single largest cause of mortality for small cetaceans.
But there’s more
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But there’s more3/8
Marine wildlife for human consumption is the world’s most valuable traded commodity. Though hard to trace, it’s estimated that IUU fishing accounts for up to $23.5 billion worth of sales each year, or a shocking 1 out of every 5 wild ocean fish sold on the worldwide market.
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Even worse, IUU fishing not only places immense pressure on the 93% of commercial fish populations that are now fully- or over-exploited, it also threatens coastal communities that depend on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.
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Although historically hidden from scrutiny on the open seas, IUU fishing is now estimated to be the sixth-largest global crime, often associated with human rights abuses, drug and weapon trafficking, wildlife trafficking, corruption, and other illegal activities. 
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Fishing gear is left behind by both legal and illegal fishing vessels, but illegal operators may dump gear into the ocean to avoid being caught or being denied entry to a port, and they use the deadliest fishing gear such as large-scale driftnets, banned by the UN in 1991.
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That’s why today Sea Shepherd works with local authorities and regional partners around the world to stop IUU fishing. We need you to help keep our fleet on the front lines of marine conservation.
Donate today: https://act.seashepherdglobal.org/ 8/8
Donate today: https://act.seashepherdglobal.org/ 8/8
