Thursday May 28, 2009, 5:19 am
Renegade Icelandic whalers slaughtered their first whale of the season at 22:40 GMT on May 26th, 2009.

Sea Shepherd recently received the following report from an Icelandic citizen:

-----Original Message-----
From: (Name and e-mail address withheld)
Sent: Tue 5/26/2009 7:15 PM
To: inform-us
Subject: Please help me! I am ashamed to be Icelandic! The first whale was murdered at 22:40GMT on the 26th of May

Hello- I am writing to you because I do not know what else to do! The first whale was murdered or at least shot at 22:40 GMT 26th of May! If not killed immediately it will be tied to the boat and dragged around suffering the anguish until next victim is found and shot! I am so, so ashamed now to be an Icelander! There is permission to hunt and kill 99 more. The whale watching industry is devastated and those Icelanders that are against these murders. It is as if our government has lost their ears. A few powerful bullying whalers have got their will and now the killings have started! The only way to stop this is to let it cost the Icelandic economy more to hunt and kill whales than the few foreign currencies earned by few by selling whale meat! Iceland should be banned and Icelandic products until these killings have stopped. Living in this small community, I actually fear for my safety going out with my opinion in public! Whalers are a bullying tribe, and a shame for our country! Somehow, I wish the worldwide community to put pressure on the Icelandic government. Please help me and make these killings stop!

(Name withheld)
------------------------------

The Icelandic whalers are targeting endangered fins in blatant violation of the global moratorium on commercial whaling and in defiance of the regulations of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

In 1986, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society shut down illegal whaling activities in Iceland by scuttling half the Icelandic whaling fleet.

In 2007, the Sea Shepherd ship Farley Mowat was en route to Iceland to oppose illegal whaling when Iceland announced it would discontinue whaling activities.

Sea Shepherd's Whale Defense Campaign Operation Ragnarok appears to be back on active status.

Iceland is one of the world's three criminal whaling nations. This axis of brutality and eco-crime includes Japan, Norway, and Iceland.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 5:30 am
petition: Stop Iceland's Whale Hunting

You can view this petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/4308267

Thursday May 28, 2009, 5:52 am
Sad, sad and mad! Thank you Claudia
I already signed the petition

Thursday May 28, 2009, 6:03 am
noted claldia

Thursday May 28, 2009, 6:34 am
Signed yesterday. Noted with thanks Claudia.

You already signed this petition at 6:55 pm PDT, May 27, 2009.

Someday may the sea swallow up all whalers.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 6:43 am
signed.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 6:46 am
Thank you Claudia.Petition signed about half an hour ago.#282

Thursday May 28, 2009, 7:12 am
Thank You. Noted 7 signed.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 7:56 am
Thank you Claudia, VERY sadly signed # 327 today.....

Thursday May 28, 2009, 8:05 am
noted posted in Action for Animals II thank-you

Thursday May 28, 2009, 8:17 am
Thank you!
You already signed this petition at 6:03 pm PDT, May 27, 2009.. thanks Claudia

Thursday May 28, 2009, 8:28 am
noted & signed :0(

Thursday May 28, 2009, 10:01 am
Noted and signed. Thanks Claudia.

I don't know if you ever watched that movie Orca when you where younger. My poor sister had nightmares for months after it about whales coming to get her and we lived nowhere near an ocean. I however routed for the whale and wanted him to kill every single one of those fisherman's who killed his mate and their child.

I feel no sense of human camaraderie to the people who commit these crimes against these animals. I only feel that they should suffer the same fate.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 10:32 am
Noted and signed. Is there no end this bankrupt nations bankruptcy. A seal hunter tried to justify the Canadian seal killing by describing it as legal. Well we see here legality is of no consequence to the Icelandic whaling criminals! It is not long ago they chose to cut the lines of British trawlers for fishing in their self declared territorial fishing grounds, using huge heavily armed navel vessals against tiny unarmed trawlers. Their Navy arrested many British trawlermen and ships. What big men these Icelanders are when stairing down from behind a gun! Perhaps now is the time for our gutless government to send the Royal Navy to harry these criminal pirates in concert with other European nations who claim to be against whaling! So much for the EU it could not organize a booze up in a brewery let alone navigate there in the first place, with or without sat nav! It is sad for the whales and a blot on humanity!

Thursday May 28, 2009, 11:30 am
Noted and signed. How sad this is; I hope the rest of the world will speak out on this. We are all hurting from the recent financial downturn.....not just Iceland!

Thursday May 28, 2009, 11:30 am
Petition signed.

TY, Claudia.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 11:59 am
Signed petition,thanks Claudia.Keep-up the good work! the world needs to know and stop this.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 12:02 pm
signed thanks claudia

Thursday May 28, 2009, 12:37 pm
'm so sorry Claudia, you are not to be ashamend. You R to commended for all you do!
Signed petition yesterday ~Gladly too!!
Some how this has to stop!! Keep it up Claudia:-)
~~hugs~~

Thursday May 28, 2009, 12:58 pm
Clear breach of international law. Iceland seems to be a law unto itself. Hope Sea Shepherd gets there soon!! What can we do here, sitting at our PCs? Could the caring Icelander get people into boats and get out there on the sea until Sea Shepherd can take over? Get the PRESS and TV onto the boats. I admire your caring nature - try to keep up your spirits because everyone on this site is behind you. Hope you can find a way to ease your pain!

Thursday May 28, 2009, 2:26 pm
Thank you Claudia..

Thursday May 28, 2009, 3:09 pm
Done/thank you Claudia

Thursday May 28, 2009, 3:09 pm
Claudia....I was on here earlier today saying how I feel ashamed of our Newfoundland Premier and Canadian Prime Minister Harper for allowing this most horrible act of the seal hunt continue. I know you are doing all that you can for the whales and all ocean life. Please try to find peace in your heart knowing this, even thought I understand it's not easy. You are a wonderful person and I am very proud of all that you do for the oceans. Thank you my friend.
In Peace and Blessings
SheriH

Thursday May 28, 2009, 3:14 pm
Stop the Slaughtering and save our harmless and best friends!!!!!
Our land and sea critters killings of the world need to stop! There is more unnecessary slaughtering, and our Governments need to recognize (like we know they do) but actually do something about it. It amazes me to here the stories about people riding mountain bikes or walking through the mountains and a mountain cat grabs a person, you know the story; they can’t wait to hunt it down and kill it. Those cats have no idea they are doing anything wrong, they could be protecting the cubs, so know the mom is dead so hum now they will die. Who was in the wrong place at the wrong time...? Not the CAT! Sorry I am all for the animal. Understand we all have our own territory, but people try to control too much, if that were not a fact our World would not be in the horrendous decline of a state that it is in and has been in for years. (GREED, CONTROL)
Thank you Claudia... And my best

Thursday May 28, 2009, 3:25 pm
PLEASE, we all need to stop feeling shame for what our countries allow, we as individuals are not responsible for the killing. Our governments violate the rights of the lives they claim to protect, and we here are all trying to end the violence against all living creatures, human and non, those without a voice, without a defense. If we had the power it would end now.
Claudia, you are a shining sea star and need feel nothing close to shame. I am sure all caring people thank you for your efforts, you do what you can and search for ways to do more.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 3:36 pm
I cannot underestand why, having seen these wonderful creatures face to face, anyone could hurt them. They are beautiful and intelligent animals and I believe that they are just as much mine as Iceland's. No one person or group of people has the right to destroy a species for greed and the need to punish others because they object to the seal cub hunt.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 4:11 pm
Done Claudia! With sad! ##########

Thursday May 28, 2009, 4:16 pm
Noted , think I signed but will make sure .Thanks !!

Thursday May 28, 2009, 4:26 pm
Release the negativity and for what reason these Ageless Beauties are being taken from the oceans will be sought very soon as Nothing Last Forever so too will be the beginning of something very new in fighting the War against killing of the Whales.
It's ashamed to think that humans can hunt and torment and not have justice brought forward in the killings on an hourly basis, and then allow any Food Establishment to serve what was just hours ago a Live Energetic Whale.
We are going backwards into the Mid Evil Days when taking of ones life was meaningless.
But being the Twenty First Century it's time to stop the ignorance and move into the trail of justice once and for all for every single voiceless entity.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 4:32 pm
Signed a few minutes ago w/ this comment submitted:

The letter attached is far too polite. Putting it plainly; We, all across the globe, are disgusted with whaling practices continuing in Iceland & Netherlands.

These whales belong to society as a whole, and society has pleaded with you for decades to stop this barbaric slaughter.

You have taken advantage of the marine life for far too long & the time for you to stop has passed.

I will devote my time to making your selfish, horrific acts public and Boycotting any tourism to Iceland or the Netherlands. If anything else can be found to Boycott (though I doubt it), I will petition for them as well.

All who condone this butchering act are a disgrace to humanity & are nothing more than barbarians.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 5:06 pm
Looks like Iceland wants to be BOYCOTTED now. Buy nothing from Iceland.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 11:15 pm
Noted and signed.

Thursday May 28, 2009, 11:44 pm
I hope Sea Shepherd can make a difference. It's terrible that they're hunting endangered fin whales.

I believe some of the demand for whale meat from Iceland comes from Japan.

Friday May 29, 2009, 5:25 am
This was to be expected form this little insignificant nation consisting of a few thousand people who still live in the past.This is a clear violation of international law and puts them fairly and squarely on the side of the other three parahia nations Canada, Norway and Japan.It seems that the only way to force them to stop their brutality is a complete economic boycott of all produce coming from these countries perhaps a good dose of economic suicide is what they need.Having said this though not all IIcelanders, Canadians , Norwiegens or Japanese are supporters of the killers of whales and seals there is strong opposition from certain members in these countries who see this not only as a cruel and unnecessary slaughter but see it as a blight on their nations.These people deserve our admiration and our support in their endevours to bring about the end of this savagery.Finally have you seen the pictures of Canadas Governor Gereral eating the still warm and bloody herat of a newly butchard baby seal to show her soladarity with the seal killers. what kind of message is Canada potraying by this obcenity ? it puts them in the same category as the worst cannibals in living memory and the worst part of it is they are supposed to be civilised.I wonder if when the Governor General sees the picture of herself wiping the fresh blood off her face she will come to regret her action.I certainly hope so.

Friday May 29, 2009, 2:17 pm
Noted, and defiantly signed!

Friday May 29, 2009, 3:41 pm
Signed petition

Friday May 29, 2009, 7:43 pm
If Iceland is shipping whale meat to Japan, that seems to show that Japan does't hunt whales just for scientific purposes.

Saturday May 30, 2009, 4:08 pm
I have signed the petition earlier this evening with great pleasure. I have read, noted and commented on all the news alerts regarding this atrocious slaughter of our beautiful giant gentle marine mammals. This makes me so enraged, frustrated, despondent & extremely heartbroken. We will keep fighting for the whales until Iceland and the other two countries notorious for whaling Norway & Japan have banned all whaling for good.
SALLY D.