Samuel LaBudde

Samuel LaBudde is an American biologist. He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1991[1] for his efforts on preserving wildlife and endangered species.

His videotaping of the practice of slaughtering dolphins by tuna fishermen resulted in a most successful consumer boycott, forcing major tuna brands to accept only dolphin-safe fish.

His next project resulted in banning of the use of driftnets as a fishing method. He has been engaged in stopping illegal walrus ivory trade, and illegal trade of rhinoceros horn and tiger bone.

Career

He earned his B.A. in Biology, Indiana University in 1986 and performed graduate work in evolution and ecology.

From January 2008 to August 2012, he was the Campaign Director of the Environmental Investigation Agency and was in charge of prosecuting international campaign for oceans, climate and wildlife, including efforts to end whaling and trade in elephant ivory, ban the manufacture and use of HFCs, and eliminate anthropogenic mercury emissions. From 2004 to 2008, he was a writer and consultant and wrote numerous white papers and internal documents for executives/ senior management among Fortune 500 companies and others on social, economic and environmental merits of green building & energy efficiency including BP, Siemens, GE, Shell Oil, Genzler & Associates, Microsoft, U.S. Green Building Council, et al.

He was also a consultant to ValleyWatch from 2002-2008 where he initiated and organized campaign blocking construction of world’s largest soybean processing plant by ConAgra Foods. Assisted in development and prosecution of regional efforts blocking construction of more than a dozen proposed coal and coal-waste burning power plants in Midwest including 1500 MW unit by Peabody Coal.

From 1991 to 2004, he was the founder and executive director of the Endangered Species Project and supervised and financed extensive field investigations throughout Asia, Africa and Americas to document illegal trade in bears, tigers, rhinos, primates and other endangered species. Secured international resolutions condemning central involvement of China and Taiwan in the illegal wildlife trade. Conducted investigations and campaign exposing Vietnam as center of SE Asian wholesale wildlife trade. Provided funding, video cameras and other equipment for domestic and international NGO campaigns on wildlife and wilderness protection, and for human rights investigations in Burma, Indonesia and Tibet. Organized and led international campaign to expose Asian tiger trade resulting in domestic legal prohibitions against the trade in China, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan and culminating in implementation of U.S. trade sanctions against Taiwan in 1994 — first economic sanctions in history imposed against a country for violations of an international conservation accord. Participated in first Global Tiger Forum in India. Helped establish International Siberian Tiger Sanctuary in Eastern Russia that brought species back from edge of extinction. Researched, co-authored and produced Crime Against Nature, first comprehensive report & video overview on role of organized crime in the illegal wildlife trade. Documented lowland gorilla and other wildlife populations in Gabonese rainforest and wrote and produced comprehensive national ecotourism prospectus for Gabon as part of successful joint effort with WCS and CI to create national park plan comprising 10% of the nation. Testified in several Congressional hearings and worked extensively with Congress, U.S. Interior Department, U.S. National Security Council and other federal agencies, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, International Whaling Commission, European Community and the NGO community to promote wildlife and wilderness protection.

From 1987 to 1992, he was the Staff Biologist/Campaign Director of the Earth Island Institute & Marine Mammal Fund.[2] He conducted six-month undercover investigation exposing dolphin slaughter by tuna industry, organized and led domestic campaign resulting in broad industry reforms and reduction of dolphin kills by over 95%.[3] His dolphin video was later seen by a Senate subcommitte and subsequently by packaged tuna manufacturer StarKist, Bumble Bee Foods and Chicken of the Sea.[4] Participated in successful legal and legislative efforts to strengthen and enforce Marine Mammal Protection Act. Member of technical delegation to China to assist in recovery of Baiji or white river dolphin. Helped secure passage of first small cetacean resolutions before International Whaling Commission to protect dolphins and porpoises. Coordinated massive global media campaigns on marine wildlife and fisheries issues.

From 1990 to 1993, he was the European Campaign Director of the Humane Society International, where he devised and prosecuted successful efforts to draft/pass EU legislation prohibiting use of driftnets and against use of purse seines on cetaceans by European fishermen. Conducted successful consumer/media campaigns to ban imports of dolphin deadly tuna to remaining EU markets in Italy and Spain.

in 1990, as a field investigator for Friends of Animals, he conducted covert investigation in Alaska exposing illegal killing of walrus for ivory trade, polar bears for skin trade. Also documented consequences of Exxon Valdez oil spill on sea otter population.

From 1988 to 1990, he was a field biologist and campaign coordinator of Earthtrust and organized and led first high seas expedition to document use of pelagic driftnets by Asian fishermen. Produced briefing documents & campaign video and conducted domestic and international campaigns resulting in passage of U.S. legislation and United Nations General Assembly resolution banning the use of driftnets.

Other: Fisheries observer, Bering Sea, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1987. Machinist, marine engineer & commercial fisherman, Alaska, 1981-1984. Seismic technician, Northern Rockies & Alaska, 1978-1983. Reforestation contractor & treeplanter, Central Rockies & Pacific Northwest, 1977-1980. Video/documentary footage and personal interviews shown in news broadcasts on ABC, BBC, CBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, MTV, NBC, NHK, RAI, TBS, et al. and included in dozens of documentary productions worldwide. Feature stories broadcast on ABC Day One, ABC Primetime, CBC Fifth Estate, CBS 60 Minutes, Current Affair, National Geographic, TBS Network Earth, et al. Print coverage in hundreds of newspapers and publications internationally including features in National Geographic, TIME, Newsweek, Atlantic Monthly, NY Times, LA Times, Rolling Stone, Washington Post, et al. Full-page ad placements in La Times, NY Times, SF Chronicle, Washington Post, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and numerous periodicals. Extensive experience with entertainment industry and securing studios/celebrity support for campaigns. Received ASPCA Founder’s Award for Humane Excellence 1989; Friends of Animals Activist of the Year 1990; Goldman Prize for North America, 1991,[1] TIME Magazine Fifty Future World Leaders, 1994.

References

  1. 1 2 Goldman Environmental Prize: Samuel LaBudde (Retrieved on November 24, 2007)
  2. ↑ Wade, Nicholas (2002). Mammals. Globe Pequot Press. p. 103. ISBN 1585746460. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ White, Kim Kennedy (2013). America Goes Green: An Encyclopedia of Eco-friendly Culture in the United States, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 25-26. ISBN 1598846574. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Time to Boycott Tuna Again?". nytimes.com. September 20, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
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