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Today, the California Coastal Commission said “NO” to the Navy and their plan to deploy bombs and sonar sound off the Coastline that would likely injure, maim or kill millions of cetaceans over the next 5 years.

The Commission said that the Navy’s position is inadequate and unsupported by facts. They also said that the Navy did not keep its agreements in the past and that there was no point in making a compromise with them. In attendance were Lyndia, Lance and Kim of Whale and Dolphin Watch, several representatives from NRDC  (National Resources Defense Council), Greenpeace, many other ocean organizations and dozens of individuals from near and far

Whale and Dolphin Watch is a grass roots organization of people who love the sea. They are committed to bringing awareness to the public of the U.S. Navy’s history of killing, maiming & harassing thousands of whales and dolphins through their underwater sonar sound programs. Their focus is to educate those who love cetaceans regarding this man made sound pollution that permeates the world’s oceans destroying our sea life.

The U.S. Navy has been using low-frequency activesonar signals which destroy a whale’s ability to navigate. Whales move through sound, vibration and instinct. This type of sonar leads to an early and painful death.

Several months ago, Whale and Dolphin Watch started a petition to petition the U.S. Navy to stop the use of this sonar. They created a series of three petitions and to date have collected over a half million signatures.

There was a hearing held today, March 8, 2013, in San Diego at the California Coastal Commission to hear the objections to the use of sonar by the U.S. Navy. In an unprecidented move, the Commission said “NO” to the U.S. Navy!

Although the decision only affects California waters, it is still significant as it sets a major precedent for the whole country. This will have far reaching implications for what can be achieved next, and ultimately the safety of our cetacean friends, the health of our oceans and our planet. In this case, your participation may have shifted the tide that has so long moved in the direction of disrespect and outright disregard for our oceans. We hear from a major environmental organization that your signatures have energized this movement in a big way!!!

Whale and Dolphin watch want you to know that they are not done with this issue. These final days until March 11, 2013 are our last opportunity to gather signatures on the petition to go to NOAA/National Marine Fisheries on Monday. If you have not signed this petition, please sign and share with everyone you now. There are currently 138,000 signatures and we would like to get this number to at least 200,000 by the end of the weekend.

Here is a link to the petition: http://signon.org/sign/stop-us-navy-plans-to-1

Here’s what we want you to do next:

1.     Call and network with your friends and get them to sign this last petition.

2.     Post on Whale and Dolphin Watch’s Facebook page

3.     Go to their Facebook page and like them:

Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/WhaleDolphinWatch?fref=ts )

4.     Sign up for ongoing information on their website to keep abreast of this issue:

Here is the link: http://www.whaleanddolphinwatch.com

5.     Learn more about this issue by listening to Food Integrity Now’s interview with Lance and Lyndia from Whale and Dolphin Watch:

Here is the link to the show: https://fintegrity.wpengine.com/2013/02/27/whales-and-dolphins-will-humanity-stop-the-madness/

Here is what Whale and Dolphin Watch want you to know: “From the bottom of our hearts, we wanted to say a big ‘Thank You” for your signature on our petitions and your ongoing support. You are awesome people and we are deeply humbled by your support of our oceans.”