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Please copy and paste the following letter into a word processing document, add your name and any additional comments. But best if you put into your own words. This is just to provide you with key points that can be addressed.
Governor George W. Bush
Officer of the Governor
P. O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428
Dear Governor George W. Bush,
(If you are from Florida add----It is now clear that loggerhead turtles that nest on Florida beaches are being killed as they migrate along the Texas coast. The state of Florida has spent millions of dollars protecting its internationally important sea turtle nesting beaches. Its adequately funded and staffed "sea turtle protection program" intensely monitors Florida's turtles and regulates activities that impact them. Thousands of Floridians are working heard to ensure the recovery of Florid's nesting sea turtle populations. Your brother, Governor Jeb Bush, is committed to sea turtle protection in Florida and has designated the summer months as "Sea Turtle Protection Months" in Florida. The failure to protect loggerhead sea turtles along the Texas coast severely comprises the sea turtle protection efforts of all Floridians.)
Until now, the Texas Governor's office has referred all inquiries about protecting endangered sea turtles and creating a marine reserve to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). After an 18-month study, TPWD has developed new, commonsense proposals for shrimp management that will help protect sea turtles, the shrimp fishery and marine biodiversity along the Texas coast. I urge you to immediately and publicly voice your support for these proposals so your wildlife officials can move forward in their duty to protect the coastal resources of Texas. You can show your environmental leadership by:
-Supporting the TPWD draft shrimp regulations as proposed, and, in particular,
-Support the proposed 10-fathom shrimp closure along the South Texas coast,
-Direct TPWD to extend the shrimp closure to the state's 9-mile boundary water for best sea turtle and shrimp fishery protection and law enforcement,
-AND make sure that the regulations move forward into the public hearing process and do not languish in regulatory limbo.
Once Texas has declared the no-shrimp fishing zone to the 9-mile limit along the South Texas coast, the focus of the sea turtle community will shift to extending the closure in federal waters.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical environmental and endangered species issue.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address
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