April 2005

Announcement of new fishing gear that reduce the accidental death of marine life

Winning solutions reeled in by international smart gear competition

WASHINGTON – At a press conference on the eve of Earth Day, World Wildlife Fund and its partners in the International Smart Gear Competition will announce three new winning solutions to prevent the accidental maiming and killing of marine mammals, juvenile fish and sea turtles that become ensnared by fishing nets and longlines--a problem known as bycatch--while also improving the efficiency of commercial fishing.

Speakers:
  • Carter Roberts, president and CEO-elect, World Wildlife Fund
  • Steve Beverly, grand prize winner of the International Smart Gear Competition, fisheries development officer for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and former high school biology teacher, commercial fisherman, commercial diver and tugboat operator
  • Malcolm McNeill, judge for the International Smart Gear Competition, vessel manager of Sealord Group Ltd., and former skipper
  • Retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and administrator, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (tentative)

    The following winners will also be available at the press conference: Dr. Norm Holy (chemist), Atlantic Gillnet Supply, Inc. (PA), Dr. Ed Trippel (biologist), Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Don King (fisherman), Homeward Bound, Inc. (MA), and Dr. M. R. Boopendranath, principal scientist, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (India).

    When: Thursday, April 21, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. EDT

    Where: Zenger Room, National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW, Washington, DC, USA

    B-Roll available: Bycatch, dolphins, whales, sea turtles, fishing boats

    Photographs available: Winners in the field and head shots, bycatch, dolphins, whales, and sea turtles

    Illustration of grand prize winning solution available for print, online and television

    Known in the United States as World Wildlife Fund and recognized worldwide by its panda logo, WWF leads international efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats and to conserve the diversity of life on Earth. Now in its fifth decade, WWF, the global conservation organization, works in more than 100 countries around the world. For more information on World Wildlife Fund, visit www.worldwildlife.org.

    Note to editors: High resolution photographs and video are available to accompany press stories mentioning World Wildlife Fund or WWF. If used, appropriate credit must also be given to the photographer.