Take Marlin off the Menu
The Take Marlin off the Menu Campaign received a major victory when The Billfish Conservation Act was recently introduced to Congress. The bill aims to eliminate the importing of Billfish to the United States.
“A few years ago we made a report on who the world’s leading importer of billfish were and we found out that it was the United States who was on the top of that list,” says Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director of the International Gamefish Organization. “The bill we have proposed, if passed, will completely end the importation of billfish into the country.”
The organization that has been fighting to preserve endangered billfish for several years got its start by traveling to restaurants and confronting them about the importance of taking the game fish off their menus.
“We presented them with information on how important billfish are in the ecosystem and how endangered they are becoming,” said Schratwieser.
It became apparent that in order to make a difference they would need to have legislation passed into law to protect the species.
“Having the bill presented before Congress is the ultimate step into getting our cause made into law,” says Schratwieser. “We are not there yet but we are happy with where we have come from.”
