Saving the Māui Dolphin from Extinction

Since 2019, we have been fighting to save the critically endangered Maui dolphin from extinction in poorly managed New Zealand fisheries. With likely less than 50 Maui dolphins still alive, our founders were lead counsel in a lawsuit against U.S. government officials seeking a ban under the Marine Mammal Protection Act against New Zealand seafood imports from fisheries responsible for killing this rare dolphin.

Enhancing Laws for Migratory Species

Since 2017, we have been supporting the Secretariat for the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in its implementation of conservation actions for whale sharks and the Atlantic humpback dolphin and also performed legislative gap analyses to assess whether range States are sufficiently protecting migratory sharks. Members of our team have also been working with government officials in multiple countries to ensure that CMS listed species are adequately protected.

Training, Judges, Prosecutors, & Enforcement Officers

Our attorneys have conducted live and virtual workshops in numerous countries, including Palau, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, and Gabon to raise greater awareness among government officials concerning the international and domestic legal and policy tools at their disposal in the fight against wildlife crime and to help empower those officials to take strong action against such crime.

Securing Marine Protected Areas

Since 2016, members of our team have been encouraging the creation of highly effective and well-enforced MPAs, including highlighting gaps in implementing legislation, encouraging the use of powerful technological tools to enforce MPA protections, advocating for the creation of high seas MPAs, and pushing for the fulfillment of the critical goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.

Developing Model Legislation for Shark Sanctuaries

Members of our team have worked with officials to establish the framework for shark and ray sanctuaries. Addressing critical issues - from enforcement and monitoring to penalties and recidivism - our powerful model legislation can be adapted to fit the needs of many countries and help governments prohibit the take, sale, and trade of species vital to the health of the oceans.

Providing Anti-Poaching Support to Prosecutors

Our team has been working with prosecutors around the world to assist with evidence gathering and written legal submissions in cases targeting wildlife poaching, with a focus on marine species. Our efforts have resulted in significant enforcement outcomes, including arrests, prosecutions, and the disruption of illegal wildlife trafficking processes.

Supporting Proper Implementation of CITES

For over a decade, we have been involved in numerous projects designed to secure more protections for wildlife species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Our team has advocated for shark listings at CITES Conferences of the Parties and participated in working groups seeking to strengthen the CITES enforcement regime, with a particular focus on sharks. Members of our team have also been assisting government officials in multiple countries with implementing CITES measures for the protection of at-risk species.

Developing Environmental Crimes Manuals

We have produced and contributed to multiple environmental crimes manuals for use by prosecutors in Argentina, Palau, and Peru. In 2021, our founders had the privilege of working with Dr. Juan Sebastian Lloret, partner NGO Fundación Expoterra, and multiple co-authors in Argentina to co-produce a manual that provides key guidance on the application of domestic and international law to combat a range of environmental crimes.

Protecting the Atlantic Humpback Dolphin

As members of the Consortium for the Conservation of the Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (CCAHD), and in support of the CMS Concerted Action for the species, our team has evaluated laws in 17 coastal countries across its known or predicted range, identified key shortcomings, and drafted model regulations to address the most significant threats to its survival.

Ending Hunting of Fin Whales in Iceland

In 2018 and 2019, members of our team worked with a local law firm in Iceland to end the killing of fin whales. Our collaborative work encouraged greater government scrutiny of whaling practices that led to increasing pressure on the Icelandic whaling industry to shut down operations until 2023. We continue to contribute our expertise to try to protect this extraordinary species from slaughter.

Featured Projects

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