Waterkeeper Alliance
Made up of nearly 200 local Waterkeeper organizations—employing more than 400 full-time and 200 part-time environmental activists, educators, scientists and attorneys— Waterkeeper Alliance keeps Waterkeepers connected, provides them with legal, scientific and communications support, and unites their voices as they take on major global water issues together.
Our Gulf Waterkeepers are the first line of defense during this ongoing disaster. Their incredible knowledge of the marshes, wetlands, beaches, and inner-coastal waters make them invaluable first responders. Their commitment makes them critical and effective community leaders. And their dedication to a full recovery is unmatched. Please help now: Your donations will provide everything Waterkeepers need, from clean-up supplies and protective gear to emergency office space and food for volunteers.
This catastrophe is expected to eclipse the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Price William Sound, Alaska, both in terms of magnitude and impact. One of our nation's most productive fisheries is in peril and critical wetlands for hurricane protection are at risk. The major commercial fishing ports in the Gulf bring in more than 1.2 billion pounds of fresh seafood each year, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Eighty-three percent of the total U.S. shrimp landings and 56 percent of U.S. oyster landings occur in the Gulf of Mexico. The region accounts for more than 40 percent of U.S. marine recreational fishing catch, with tourism and recreation providing more than 620,000 jobs, yielding more than $9 billion in wages paid each year in the Gulf coast.
Our Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper and Louisiana Bayoukeeper in Louisiana, our Mobile Baykeeper in Alabama, and our Emerald Coastkeeper and Apalachicola Riverkeeper in Florida are facing what may be the largest environmental and economic disaster in U.S. history. Please consider providing financial support today.
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