Ignoring the global moratorium on killing whales for commercial use, Japan has decided to provoke yet another fight over marine life. Heading to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, Japan has announced plans to kill 1,000 whales, including endangered fin whales and humpbacks, in the name of “scientific research.” Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Greenpeace have both departed to intervene.
“The Japanese government’s “scientific” whaling program is a sham and a source of diplomatic tension between Japan and countries that support whale conservation, like the United States. Whaling has no place in Antarctica - it’s a place of peace and science, and this is not science,” said Karli Thomas, expedition leader aboard Greenpeace’s Esperanza.
Greenpeace is collaborating with a team of scientists on the “Great Whale Trail” project to prove that you don’t need to kill whales to study them. The project uses data from satellite tagging of whales, harmless skin biopsies and fluke identification.
“Japan’s whalers are deceiving the Japanese public by painting the word “research” on their ships,” said Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan Whales Project leader. “Real scientists don’t need to kill whales to study them. This is commercial whaling poorly dressed up as science.”
The Japanese fleet will consist of four whaling ships, including the 8,000-ton Nisshin Maru (pictured to the right being approached by Sea Shepherd’s Robert Hunter). While Greenpeace has announced that they will track the Japanese fleet through the duration of its hunt, the Sea Shepherd says it will stick to its traditional role of enforcing international law and preventing the hunt from taking place using direct action.
“I did not establish the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as a protest organization,” said Captain Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd. “I have not gone to sea over all these years to simply bear witness to the atrocities that whalers continue to inflict upon the most gentle and intelligent beings in the seas. We are sea cops-operating legally under the guidelines of the United Nation’s World Charter for Nature, which allow for the enforcement of international conservation law by non-governmental organizations in international jurisdictions.”
If you would like to help stop the whale hunt, you can do the following:
Donate to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Tell Japan to stop the whale hunt
Donate to Greenpeace
Read more about this on from Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd.
- Tags: Greenpeace, Japan, Sea Shepherd, whales
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This is the official blog of the Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary. Here we will talk about animal rights theory and action. The views written in the posts are those of the author and don't necessarily reflect the views of Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary. If you are interested in guest posting or being a Deep Roots blogger, email Chris.
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