Victory | January 1, 2012

Pacific Leatherbacks Gain Protected Habitat

The National Marine Fisheries Service finalized protection of 41,914 square miles of protected critical ocean habitat off the shores of Washington, Oregon and California for the endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle. This is the first permanent safe haven for leatherbacks designated in continental U.S. waters and is the largest area set aside to protect sea turtle habitat in the United States or its territories. The final protection comes in response to a petition submitted in 2007 by Oceana, Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity.

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