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Previous whale news Subsequent whale news home January 16, 2000 Press release from Sea Shepherd Conservation Society In the most serious breach of the international protections established for whales since Norway returned to commercial whale hunting in 1992 in defiance of the global ban, that nation today lifted its ban on the export of whale products. The majority of the stored whale blubber in Norway would go to Japan, reaping a windfall profit for Norway's whalers. Jubilant whalers have said that lifting the export ban is "like winning the lottery." It is also likely to be the most immediate international environmental challenge to the incoming U.S. administration. Norway has exempted itself from the ban on international trade on whale products, as it previously claimed exemption to the ban on commercial hunting. "Norway is betting that the new administration will be as reluctant as the last one to administer trade sanctions, but Republicans actually have a better track record than Democrats in this area; they have supported our anti-whaling activities," said Paul Watson, president of Sea Shepherd International. "No one can doubt that Norway's whalers were emboldened by the Clinton administration's failure to impose sanctions on Japan for the aggressive extension of their so-called "research" whale hunt last year," Watson said. "We are hopeful that President Bush will uphold his obligation to enforce the Pelly Amendment and impose sanctions against nations that undermine the protections provided for whales under international law." "In response to Norway's action, there should be no more negotiations, meetings, warnings, or pleadings - the last eight years have conclusively demonstrated one thing: Such tactics do nothing but make the situation worse. Norway is saying 'I dare you' to the Bush administration, and with any luck they have finally supplied the rope with which to hang themselves." Watson, who received a presidential Daily Point of Light citation in 1999 in recognition of his efforts to oppose illegal whaling, will be making a personal appeal to President Bush. "We remind Mr. Bush that just before his father left office he certified Norway as undermining the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling when they returned to commercial hunting in defiance of the ban. There should be no question in the mind of the President-elect that the people of the United States want him to complete his father's work, and embargo all Norwegian seafood products from entry into the United States until Norway's whaling activities cease. Sanctions now, Mr. President." of the global ban, that nation today lifted its ban on the export of whale products. The majority of the stored whale blubber in Norway would go to Japan, reaping a windfall profit for Norway's whalers. Jubilant whalers have said that lifting the export ban is "like winning the lottery." It is also likely to be the most immediate international environmental challenge to the incoming U.S. administration. Norway has exempted itself from the ban on international trade on whale products, as it previously claimed exemption to the ban on commercial hunting. "Norway is betting that the new administration will be as reluctant as the last one to administer trade sanctions, but Republicans actually have a better track record than Democrats in this area; they have supported our anti-whaling activities," said Paul Watson, president of Sea Shepherd International. "No one can doubt that Norway's whalers were emboldened by the Clinton administration's failure to impose sanctions on Japan for the aggressive extension of their so-called "research" whale hunt last year," Watson said. "We are hopeful that President Bush will uphold his obligation Watson, who received a presidential Daily Point of Light citation in 1999 in recognition of his efforts to oppose illegal whaling, will be making a personal appeal to President Bush. "We remind Mr. Bush that just before his father left office he certified Norway as undermining the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling when they returned to commercial hunting in defiance of the ban. There should be no question in the mind of the President-elect that the people of the United States want him to complete his father's work, and embargo all Norwegian seafood products from entry into the United States until Norway's whaling activities cease. Sanctions now, Mr. President." January 3, 2000 President Clinton fails to sanction Japan The President announced Friday that the US will continue monitoring the Japanese whaling program (as it has been doing for a decade). "I remain deeply concerned by Japan's unilateral actions," Clinton said "However, I do not believe that import prohibitions would further our objectives at this time. We are committed to a sustained effort in order to bring about positive movement in Japan's whaling policies," he said. "We are concerned that the presence of these additional species of whales in the Japanese market could increase the risk of derivatives of whale products entering international commerce," Instead of imposing sanctions, the president agreed to a bi-lateral whaling panel with Japan to study the issue, an action that merely postpones any positive action at a time when aboriginal tribes, some abetted by Japan, are proposing a return to full-scale commercial whaling . The option to do better now lies with the Bush administration. (from article in Japan Times December 31, 2000) January 2, 2001 Blue whales threatened by oil exploration by Andrew Darby http://www.theage.com.au/news/2001/01/02/FFX5GFK0FHC.html A Perth company, Strike Oil, hopes to spend a month in late summer shooting ship-based air guns in a 400-square kilometre area south-west of Port Campbell to gather echo data that could indicate the presence of oil or gas. Strike Oil sought approval for the work under the new Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act. Under the act, activities that may negatively affect biodiversity must be reviewed by Environment Minister Senator Robert Hill. He must decide by early January whether to allow the seismic tests or require further examination of the proposal. continued back to previous page A Humane Society International spokeswoman said the proposal should be given a full environmental impact assessment Society spokeswoman Nicola Beynon said the act also allowed for the waters to be declared a critical habitat for the blue whale, "thereby giving the oil and gas industry clear no-go zones for their harmful activities". Deakin University researcher Peter Gill, who is gathering detailed scientific evidence of the blue whale presence, said the area ranked in importance with the Head of the Bight, an important right whale breeding ground. In a recent aerial survey, Mr Gill sighted three blue whales feeding on krill south of Port Campbell. These add to another 170 sightings, mainly last summer, in waters about 20nautical miles offshore between Port Campbell and the Victoria-South Australia border. He believes a productive seasonal upwelling of cold water causes the krill to swarm and so attracts the whales. Since announcing the discovery earlier this year, Mr Gill said the site had attracted international scientific interest. "There are only a handful of places in the world where blue whales are known to feed. Other researchers tell me that there are no other places where you actually get to see blues feeding at the surface," he said. The enormous size of the blue whale is on show during surface feeding. It can open its mouth to gulp up to 50 tonnes of water and krill, before straining food through baleen plates as it expels the water. Mr Gill told a Bass Strait Forum in Launceston recently that blue whales were sensitive to frequencies used in air gun seismic testing, which produced a loud percussive sound every eight seconds for extended periods. In its application, Strike Oil cited another study based on US Navy research that showed no obvious responses by blue or fin whales to loud man-made low-frequency noise. Strike Oil environment officer Don Poynton confirmed that it favored the end of this summer for its work, (Continued on page 33) |