12-12-09
Environment
Claudia
- 9 hours ago - news.smh.com.au
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has reissued a threat to Japan to cease whaling or else face legal action.
It comes as Japan's new government confirmed on Thursday it had no plans to stop its so-called scientific whaling expeditions.
With Japanese boats already in the Southern Ocean on their annual whaling hunt, Mr Rudd labelled the announcement another obstacle to negotiations.
He reiterated the Australian government would seek legal action if a diplomatic agreement could not be reached.
"We don't accept Japan's premise in terms of so-called scientific whaling," he told Fairfax Radio Network on Friday.
Australia would take international legal action if Canberra could not resolve the matter diplomatically with Tokyo.
"I'm serious about it."
Mr Rudd confirmed there were no plans to use Australian boats to monitor whaling this season, because their only purpose last time was to gather evidence to support a future court case.
The opposition says it is time to set a deadline for legal action.
"(The government) promised before the election they would take Japan to the international court of justice," environment spokesman Greg Hunt told ABC Television.
"They must set a deadline for Japan to cease whaling and carry through their promise."
12-2-09
Animals
Maria
- 1 hour ago - komonews.com
12-2-09
Environment
Daphna
- 6 hours ago - environmentalgraffiti.com
11-25-09
Animals
Cal
- 9 hours ago - ipsnews.net
Commentary by Captain Paul Watson
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=165320542&blogId=519362235
11-23-09
Environment
Daphna
- 6 hours ago - current.com
11-19-09
Animals
Katie
- 1 hour ago - livescience.com
TOKYO — Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has revealed he dislikes whale meat, a newspaper reported Saturday, in an unusual confession for the prime minister of a country that defies Western criticism of whaling.
"I hate whale meat," Hatoyama said during a meeting with his visiting Dutch counterpart Jan Peter Balkenende on Monday at the prime minister's office, the Sankei Shimbun reported.
The Netherlands is one of several anti-whaling countries that allows the radical environmental group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to register a vessel in the country.
The group's activists have repeatedly harassed Japanese whaling vessels in Antarctic waters. During the last hunt a Sea Shepherd vessel collided with a whaling ship, sparking allegations that the group was behaving irresponsibly.
Despite Hatoyama's reported dislike of whale meat, however, he urged Balkenende to take action against the group over its attacks on Japanese whalers in the Antarctic, government officials said.
Japan hunts whales by using a loophole in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows "lethal research" on the creatures, but makes no secret of the fact that the meat often ends up on dining tables.
Tokyo often accuses Western critics of insensitivity toward its culture and heritage.
Hatoyama's centre-left government, which took office in October, has deviated little from the pro-whaling policies adopted by the previous administration, which had traditionally close ties with farmers and fishermen.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gWYhjmdlQvnc2Dk5fAAVqqAY2Gsw
Hatoyama's government has deviated little from the pro-whaling policies of the previous administration
10-28-09
Environment
Claudia
- 4 hours ago - oceansentry.org
)
Claudia Peters (312)
Animal Planet's Whale Wars becomes the latest South Park parody this Wednesday. For the unfamiliar, Whale Wars follows a group of environmentalists who use controversial methods to stop the Japanese whaling fleets from killing whales. This Wednesday Stan Marsh is shocked by what he sees when the Japanese set their sights on the Denver Aquarium and vows to stop the whalers at all costs.
VISIT THIS LINK TO WATCH THE PREVIEW !!! http://www.oceansentry.org/lang-en/menu-news/environment/2332-south-park-preview
10-28-09
Environment
Claudia
- 5 days ago - orange.co.uk
Claudia Peters (312)
When a state-of-the-art sound system, a tuning upgrade and a massive rear spoiler just aren't enough, one Russian company has come up with the novel idea of offering its latest car with seats made from whale-penis leather. Someone get Greenpeace on the phone!
The Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition armoured vehicle (not a mouthful then) comes from Dartz, a company that has a rich history of producing armoured cars for Russian leaders (Lenin and Trotsky, to name a few), so it'll come as no surprise that this bulky 4x4 looks and sounds like it would come off better in a head-on collision with a tank. Though there remains the small issue of the marque’s choice of cover for the Prombron’s seating…
While we're not going to get all immature and schoolboyish about this (much), we'd love to find out which member of Dartz's design team felt the addition of seats made from whale wanger would be appealing to customers. Apparently, it's because Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis used whale penis leather for the bar stool covers on his yacht, Christina O – so it's seen as the ultimate form of luxury, or something like that.
But while this may have been all tickety-boo in the 1950s and '60s, we're not entirely sure the authorities would be pleased to hear about it in this day and age.
Though the seating is proving an enormous distraction, there are numerous other highlights that come with this extravagant Russian armoured truck. These include gold-plated bulletproof windows, Kevlar coating, a tungsten exhaust, and white gold diamond- and ruby-encrusted badges – each one headline-grabbing material in its own right, if only Dartz hadn’t gone and thrown in those seats…
Sadly, there are currently no pictures available of the Prombron’s stunning interior, so you’ll just have to use your imaginations for now (although we’d prefer not to). But while we’re on the subject, here are some other motors made from unusual subtances.
Sources: Stuff.co.nz, Jalopnik, Dartz
Phillip J. Clapham who directs research on large whales at Alaska Fisheries Science Center reported to the Society of Marine Mammalogy in Quebec that Japanese scientific whaling is without merit and a poor screen for continuing commercial whaling.
In addition he said the Japanese consider whales competition for fish and thus want to cull them.
Scientific whaling was originally designed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for small sample size. Nothing like the huge takes of Japan. The IWC Protocol allows sale of whale meat to covers costs.
1982 IWC passed moratorium to start in 1986. Japan immediately began scientific whaling.
Japan says they need to kill whales to study their position in the ecosystem. But it’s really because they think whales eat too many fish – too many of “their” fish.
The total number of whales taken by all nations, including Japan, prior to the moratorium was 2100 from 1952 – 1986. Total taken by Japan since 1986 is 12,581 whales and counting. So after the moratorium the number of whales killed skyrocketed due to Japan’s so-called scientific whaling.
The original scientific whaling self-awarded quota started at 300, went to 442, then 852. Japan is now hoping to take humpbacks and has taken fins.
Japan has also taken 200 minkes in Northern Pacific.
The argument that whales “eat too many fish” is preposterous. Not all whales eat fish – most in Antarctica eat krill.
There are so few whales today compared to prewhaling that this idea of whales consuming all the fish is nonsense.
Main predation on fish is other fish.
If you remove top predators from a system you disrupt the system. The real problem is human overfishing.
Japan said Minkes were eating too much krill to allow the blues to recover. So they justified killing minkes.
Then they said the minkes were victims and that humpbacks are driving the minkes out of business. So they now want to kill humpbacks. Anything that justifies their desires.
Clapham told the meeting of nearly 1,000 marine mammal scientists that after 18 years there is no valid scientific data from Japan’s work nor has Japan integrated its work into that of other studies.
Today there are far better non-lethal alternatives to study whales.
A highly interesting turn of events is that Australia will start a Southern Ocean Research Partnership that will employ no lethal methods and will be tied in to other scientific work. What effect will this have on the Japanese Antarctic Whaling fleet operating in the same waters?
10-26-09
Environment
Daphna
- 9 hours ago - change.org
10-26-09
Animals
Daphna
- 7 hours ago - ngm.nationalgeographic.com
10-22-09
Blue Whale Killed By a Ship in California.
Animals
Katie
- 2 hours ago - wildlifeextra.com
10-14-09
Denmark's Gruesome Festival: Mass Killing of Whales and Dolphins To Prove Adulthood
Environment
Claudia
- 2 hours ago - politicalarticles.net
These annual brutal bloody slaughters (See Pics/Video on link) take place in the Faroe Islands, which belong to Denmark. To initiate into adulthood it is mandatory to kill a dolphin or a whale.
The Faroe Islands, sometimes Faeroe Islands, Faroe(s), or Faeroes are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland.As explicitly asserted the Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union.
This atrocious slaughter has been practiced since at least the 10th century. Nearly 1,000 are killed annually in the “grindadrá
” — whale hunt — typically occurring during summer months.
Whaling in the Faroe Islands has been practiced since 1584. It is regulated by Faroese authorities but not by the International Whaling Commission as there are disagreements about the Commission's competency for small cetaceans. Around 950 Long-finned Pilot Whales are killed annually, mainly during the summer. The hunts, called "grindadrá" in Faroese, are non-commercial and are organized on a community level; anyone can participate. The hunters first surround the pilot whales with a wide semicircle of boats. The boats then drive the pilot whales slowly into a bay or to the bottom of a fjord.
Most Faroese consider the hunt an important part of their culture and history. Animal-rights groups criticize the hunt as being cruel and unnecessary, while the hunters claim in return that most journalists do not exhibit sufficient knowledge of the catch methods or its economic significance.
As of the end of November 2008 the chief medical officers of the Faroe Islands have recommended that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption because of the levels of toxins in the whales.
Islanders in motorboats first drive the whales into a bay. The chase may be lengthy. The whales are eventually driven into the shallows. The islanders hammer 2.2 kg metal gaffs into the flesh of each whale until the hooks hold. A 15 cm knife is then used to slash through the blubber and flesh to the spinal column. Next the main blood vessels are severed.
The Faroese treat the hunt as a festive occasion. Children are often given a day off school.
According to Faroese legislation it is also permitted to hunt certain species of small cetaceans other than pilot whales. These include: Bottlenose dolphin; Atlantic white-beaked dolphin; Atlantic white-sided dolphin; and Harbour porpoise (There are also specific regulations for the hunting of harbour porpoise. Harbour porpoises are killed with shotguns).
10-14-09
Environment
Claudia
- 2 hours ago - timesonline.co.uk
Scientists say man-made noise equipment, including anti-seal sonar devices used in fish farms, is driving deep-water animals such as whales to shore, where they die.
A northern bottlenose whale was washed up dead on a beach in Prestatyn, North Wales, on Saturday morning, the tenth of the species to become trapped or stranded on British shores this year.
Scientists are blaming not just military sonar, but a large range of man-made noises that they fear are driving the normally deep-water animals to shore.
The week before, another of the 10m (33ft) whales became trapped in a small Scottish loch. Rescuers managed to push the distressed animal out of Loch Eil and halfway to safety but on Friday morning the whale was found dead.
“The whales are migrating at this time of year, so we normally do see more of them, but to have so many washing up is a little strange. There’s an enormous amount of man-made noise out at sea off the northwest of Scotland, and we can’t rule out that this is what causing them to come ashore,” said Mark Simmonds, Director of Science for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
Northern bottlenose whales are acutely sensitive to sound, for like other beaked whales they use sonic pulses for hunting. The noise of oil exploration (which uses loud underwater explosions to help geologists search for undiscovered reserves), wind farm construction and shipping are all possible culprits.
“It seems military activities caused the mass beaching of dolphins we saw in Cornwall last year, but this is different,” said Dr Simmonds. Once close to shore, northern bottlenose whales are easily disoriented, Mr Simmonds believes. Lochs can act as “whale traps”, which confuse the animals into swimming into ever more enclosed waters. This time last year another whale of the same species got trapped in Loch Eil.
“There’s some kind of phenomenon in this loch that is funnelling them in. Once in, it seems that other noises may have prevented the whale from leaving,” said Mr Simmonds.
Fish farms use ’Acoustic Harassment Devices’ in an effort to dissuade seals from looting from their nets. While designed to be used intermittently, it appears that at least some fish farms leave theirs running continually.
“It’s an awful siren sound — very, very loud,” said Dr Patrick Miller of the Sea Mammal Research Unit in St Andrews. “There’s quite a bit of research that says they have more effect on cetaceans than seals. It may very wel
10-10-09
Animals
Maria
- 6 hours ago - ecoworldly.com
10-9-09
Environment
Claudia
- 2 days ago - ktuu.com
BARROW, Alaska -- Barrow residents have been hunting whales for thousands of years, and still to this day rely on the bowheads to help offset the very high cost of living in one of Alaska's most distant communities.
Roy Nageak Sr.'s crew returned home champions last Wednesday with what may be the last whale kill of the season, which opened Sept. 26.
Word spread fast in the small community. Within an hour it seemed like the whole town came to help.
It only took a few hours or so to butcher, and when they finished, everyone shared in the harvest.
"You walk up, you got a plate or they'll give you a little bag with an Eskimo doughnut... some delicacies, a part of the flipper or some blubber or kidney or tongue and everybody has a good time," said City Councilman Mike Shults.
Barrow residents hunt whales twice a year -- in the spring and in the fall. They've been waiting in keen anticipation for this muktuk after rationing their meager spring harvest of just four bowheads.
They're up to 10 this fall.
The crew that brought in this bounty says it had some help.
Roy's son Ernest pulled the harpoon trigger. His cousin died this past year and it was his wish that his ashes be scattered across his beloved hunting grounds.
The hunters mixed his remains with the ammunition which launched the fatal shot, Ernest's first kill.
"Yeah, we all thought about our family members that we lost this year," Ernest said.
In the evening the town held a large celebration where they handed out whale meat to residents. It will also be served during the holidays throughout the winter.
10-9-09
Environment
Claudia
- 2 days ago - blogs.myspace.com
CALGARY.., ..Oct. 5.. /CNW/ -
All media are invited to attend. Location: Red & White Club, McMahon Stadium, 1817 Crowchild Trail NW Formal presentation starts at 7:00pm WHAT: For the Oceans is a fun-filled fundraiser to support the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Hear entertaining tales from the stars of Animal Planet's Whale Wars, their highest rated show ever (noted by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top 50 Reasons to Watch TV), and Sharkwater, the award-winning documentary changing the way the world feels about sharks. Captain Paul Watson and members of the Sea Shepherd crew will regale us with their nerve- wracking heroics saving whales and sharks. Guests will enjoy fabulous appetizers, wonderful silent auction items and live music by the renowned Chicago Blues group The Matthew Skoller Band. PHOTO OP: Capt. Paul Watson, Shannon Mann, Kim McCoy and Chris Aultman Helicopter Pilot will be in attendance WHERE: Red & White Club, McMahon Stadium, 1817 Crowchild Trail NW WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009 at 6 p.m. 6 to 7:00 p.m. Doors open, music, food, face painting and silent auction 7:00 p.m. Kim McCoy, Sea Shepherd's Director of Shark Conservation provides a sneak preview of the documentary project "Shark Angels" 7:15 p.m. Capt. Paul Watson takes us behind the scenes of "Whale Wars" 7:45 p.m. Book signing with Paul Watson and Kim McCoy 8:30 p.m. Silent Auction closes WHY: This event is organized to support the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Tickets are $100 for adults and $50 for kids, 12 and under. For the Oceans, held in land-locked Calgary, is the world's largest corporate fundraiser in support of this group. Calgarians have the highest per capita ownership of boat licenses and scuba certifications in Canada, and therefore care deeply about the plight of sharks and whales. The Sea Shepherd is well known for their work with the Costa Rican government in protecting the nation's shark sanctuaries, as filmed in the award-winning documentary Sharkwater. For the Oceans sponsors are DIRTT Environmental Solutions, CresaPartners and Element Integrated Workplace Solutions. Representatives from each will be in attendance.
For further information: Media contact: Kelly Hyde, (403) 829-8382, khydecorp@mac.com
10-9-09
Harpoons Whale
Environment
Claudia
- 4 hours ago - community.adn.com
On Tuesday around noon, Panigeo crew struck a whale. Pauyuuraq Brower of Barrow shot the whale with the darting gun. Then Paul Patkotak, 9-year-old son of Maria & Ellis Patkotak, harpooned the bowhead whale and officially killed the whale.
Paul is a 4th grader at Ipalook Elementary School & is very into his culture. He loves to go whaling with his uncle Qulliuq Pebley, who is the Captian of Panigeo Crew, he loves to go subsistance hunting and camping. The family was overjoyed in tears when they heard that their 9-year-old Paul harpooned the 32' 7" whale.
This is big news for Barrow, usually kids are not allowed on the boat until they are a certain age. I think Paul is the youngest kid to actually harpoon & kill a bowhead whale.
Once they arrived & beached the whale, the family was overjoyed. His mother could not believe that her son actually caught the whale.
10-7-09
Animals
Daph No m
- 13 hours ago - action.earthjustice.org
1
Environment
Claudia
- 1 minute ago - ktuu.com
10-6-09
Animals
Cal
- 1 hour ago - wildlifeextra.com
10-5-09
Save The Southern Resident Killer Whales
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/110/Help-Save-the-Southern-Resident-Killer-Whales
10-4-09
Animals
Simone
- 1 day ago - animalrights.change.org
10-4-09
Animals
Maria
- 23 hours ago - timesonline.co.uk
10-3-09
9-29-09
Environment
Claudia
- 11 hours ago - sciencenews.org
9-29-09
Environment
Claudia
- 13 hours ago - english.ohmynews.com
9-28-09
Environment
Daphna
- 6 hours ago - news.yahoo.com
9-27-09
9-24-09
Animals
Angela
- 13 hours ago - news.bbc.co.uk
9-23-09
Animals
Cal
- 2 hours ago - uk.news.yahoo.com
9-23-09
Science & Tech
Angela
- 7 hours ago - sciencedaily.com
9-21-09
Animals
Cher
- 2 hours ago - hsus.org
9-18-09
Environment
Daphna
- 16 hours ago - dsc.discovery.com
9-17-09
Please Help Save the Whales & Seals
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/120/please-help-me-save-the-whales-and-the-seals
19
Animals
Dee
- 4 hours ago - berkshireeagle.com
Animals
Cher
- 2 hours ago - treehugger.com
Whale Petition signed. Thanks
9-12-09
Animals
Angela
- 13 hours ago - canada.com
Animals
Cher
- 15 hours ago - wdcs.org
Animals
Cher
- 6 hours ago - wdcs.org
9-8-09
Animals
Maria
- 25 minutes ago - oceansentry.org
9-7-09
Iceland Kills 93 Fin Whales, According to Conservationists
Animals
Simone
- 12 minutes ago - telegraph.co.uk
9-5-09
RE: Whale Meat in Japan.
SICK, SICK & CRUEL...
My heart goes out to these precious animals.
This post was modified from its original form on 05 Sep, 2:56
Arni Finnsson, chairman of the Nature Conservation Union of Iceland, said it will prove very expensive to get Icelandic fin whale meat to market in Japan. It is out of the question that the Icelandic government is in a position to supplement the whaling industry with the extra hundreds of millions of kronur it has cost and continues to cost the nation every year.
Finnsson said in an article today in Fiskifrettir that the upper limit of supply to Japan is 116.4 tonnes per year, or around 13 fin whales from Iceland – nearly twice as much as whaler Kristjan Loftsson exported there in May 2008, mbl.is reports.
Finnsson says that the Japanese government has for years been trying to breathe life into the country’s whale output with advertising campaigns, free recipe books, free whale meat supply to schools and retirement homes etc; but all with little success. Japan has since closed its whale marketing office since it failed to increase domestic demand.
Finnsson believes the market for Icelandic fin whale meat in Japan is already being filled by Japanese fin whale meat and that Kristjan Loftsson’s chances of widening the marketplace are slim while damage to Iceland’s international reputation is huge.
Mike
- 10 hours ago - thesun.co.uk
Latest news noted. Thanks Kat. Interesting.
Science & Tech
Simone
- 5 hours ago - ecoworldly.com
Animals
Simone
- 7 hours ago - biologicaldiversity.org
Animals
Simone
- 7 hours ago - independent.com
Latest news & Petiton signed. Thanks Kat.
Animals
Simone
- 3 days ago - examiner.com
News Noted. Thanks Kat.
Animals
Cher
- 1 hour ago - animalrights.change.org
Environment
Dee
- 10 hours ago - sciencedaily.com
It's so amazing what animals can do. I don't understand why people hurt, kill, etc... animals. Thanks for sharing.
Animals
Cher
- 1 day ago - planetsave.com
Latest news noted & sent e-mail letters out ( action taken) Thanks
Environment
Terry
- 4 hours ago - ecoworldly.com
Animals
Simone
- 1 day ago - examiner.com
Thank You Claudia for sharing.
21
Environment
Alejandra
- 17 hours ago - wwf.org.uk
Thanks for sharing SunKat!!
Animals
Cher
- 2 minutes ago - news.com.au
Animals
Cher
- 31 minutes ago - guardian.co.uk
Animals
Cher
- 4 days ago - wildlifeextra.com
Animals
Teresa
- 2 days ago - youtube.com
Noted & signed the last petition. Thanks to you all for all you do!!
The International Whaling Committee's annual meeting just ended without success as the delegates failed to achieve any new protections for whales. As a result, Japan will continue to kill almost 1,000 whales annually under the guise of scientific research, and Norway and Iceland will continue to hunt whales commercially.
Stop Japan and others from killing more whales >
The global whaling industry has driven one whale population after another toward extinction. It is still not known if some species will ever recover, but to have any chance of success, we need to dramatically increase our efforts at protecting these animals.
For more than three decades, the United States led international efforts to protect the world's whales from commercial whaling. This led to the commercial whaling moratorium of 1986, which was both a victory for whale conservation and a milestone for U.S. environmental diplomacy.
But now that countries like Japan, Norway and Iceland are willing to go outside the realm of the International Whaling Committee to kill whales, the United States must use stronger pressure to prevent the global whaling industry from driving more populations toward extinction.
Let President Obama know how much you care about protecting these beautiful and unique creatures, and ask the administration to once again lead the global fight for whale conservation using all the tools of influence available to the U.S. government.
Take action to protect whales today >
Thanks for all that you do,
- The Change.org Team
Animals
Cher
- 2 hours ago - telegraph.co.uk
Animals
Cher
- 2 days ago - panda.org
Animals
Cher
- 2 days ago - panda.org
Animals
Cher
- 1 day ago - hsus.org
Animals
Cher
- 6 hours ago - animalrights.change.org
Animals
Cher
- 1 day ago - action.peta.org.uk
Animals
Cher
- 22 hours ago - change.org
Animals
Cher
- 18 hours ago - change.org
Animals
Cher
- 4 hours ago - community.hsus.org
signed and passed on... thanks for posting.
Animals
Cher
- 29 minutes ago - animalrights.change.org
Hi Queen B. welcome to the group! What you just shared is shocking and unacceptable. Do you have a link to your share or to the story? That is just plain ridiculous! I know that an oil tanker must be huge but so is a whale so how is it they hadn't a clue? Maybe it was a legit mistake but I sure hope with all the money that company makes that they try to do something to make it right. They need to do something so that this doesn't happen again.
Hello, I just joined your group. I posted a share 2 days ago, it was the first time I have done so, and do not know if it came through to the network or not. I saw an article this week in the Alaska Daily News about an Exxon oil tanker that came into port in Valdez with a humpback whale impaled on the bow, like a bug smashed on a car windshield. The oil tanker had NO IDEA they had hit a whale or that it was still stuck on the front of the ship for everyone in port to witness. In the 21st century and with the record-breaking amounts of money that Exxon has been reporting every quarter, you would think they could afford some type of device that would warn if large mammals are in the shipping lane and, more importantly, if you hit something and it was still stuck on the ship. What if the whale had been a small fishing boat or tourist boat? Would they come into port with dead humans and fishing rods on the bow?
Animals
Cher
- 50 minutes ago - animalrights.change.org
signed...
Animals
Cher
- 1 day ago - animalrights.change.org
