Soul Planet, 6 Blue Days Last Week & 2 Dolphins Killed of the coast in Taiji, Japan last week, Aquaman Opens, Patrick Wilson, Sam Waterston, The Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), Europe’s first Dolphin Sanctuary, Oceana, Dolphin Outlook, A Whale Of A Week

The White House Climate Report Has an Oceans Section, Here’s What You Need to Know
The White House Climate Report Has an Oceans Section, Here’s What You Need to Know. The White House released the Fourth National Climate Assessment, a dire warning on climate change risks and impacts across the United States. Oceans have a dedicated chapter, which is neither warm, nor fuzzy. Yearly losses could total hundreds of billions of dollars by century’s end, it concludes, and cutting emissions is the only way to avoid the worst of it. Read more

We're Suing to Halt Trump's Approval of Arctic Drilling

The last thing polar bears and the warming Arctic need is dangerous offshore drilling. But that's what the Trump administration wants to push through by approving Hilcorp Alaska's so-called "Liberty" project in the heart of polar bear habitat.

Liberty would bring an artificial island and risky underwater pipeline to the sensitive Beaufort Sea, putting bears and communities at risk.

So this week the Center for Biological Diversity and allies sued to stop it.

"Liberty is a bad step down a dangerous path," said the Center's Kristen Monsell. "An oil spill in the Arctic would be impossible to clean up in a region already stressed by climate change."

Read more and consider donating to our Endangered Species Act Protection Fund.

Southern Resident orcas
Suit Launched to Save Starving West Coast Orcas
On Tuesday the Center launched a lawsuit against Trump's National Marine Fisheries Service for mismanaging West Coast salmon fisheries. This has been hurting desperately endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee last week unveiled a $1.1 billion plan to protect the orcas, including a temporary suspension of whale-watching boats. Reducing noise and disturbance is needed, but the whales will go extinct anyway if we don't swiftly restore their wild salmon prey.

"We can't allow business as usual in the salmon fisheries while Southern Resident killer whales are starving to death," said Julie Teel Simmonds, a Center attorney. "Time's running out."

Learn more about the governor's plan and our legal action.

This is not a drill: Just as endangered North Atlantic right whales enter a critical calving season off the southeast U.S. coast, federal officials authorized companies to harm marine life with seismic airgun blasting in these very waters. The fate of one of the rarest marine mammals in the world hangs in the balance. 
The dynamite-like blasts of seismic airguns – a precursor to offshore drilling used to search for oil and gas deposits – could hinder North Atlantic right whales’ ability to find food, stay healthy and communicate with their calves.
No calves were seen in 2018. There are only an estimated 100 females of breeding age left, so these next few months are critical as we hope to see mother-and-calf pairs off the coast.
During a seismic survey, ships may tow dozens of seismic airguns behind them, emitting blasts of sound every 10 to 12 seconds, up to 24 hours a day, for weeks to months at a time. Creating one of the loudest man-made sounds in the ocean, noise from seismic airguns can travel thousands of miles underwater, leaving ocean animals in its path with nowhere to hide.
We refuse to stand by while oil and gas exploration companies subject whales to this unnecessary harm. Oceana’s grassroots campaigners on the ground up and down the U.S. coasts are rallying the support of over 2,000 bipartisan elected officials and hundreds of thousands of citizens who formally oppose oil and gas activities in the Atlantic.
Nobody’s better-positioned than us to tackle the challenges still to come in 2019 – but only the support of Oceana members like you ensures we can follow through.
North Atlantic right whales need YOUR help. With as few as 400 of these whales remaining, experts predict the species could be the first great whale to go extinct in modern times.
There is still hope for North Atlantic right whales. Against all odds, year after year, Oceana has stopped seismic airgun blasting for oil and gas from moving forward in the Atlantic.
Our track record of success at defending critically endangered North Atlantic right whales and other marine life is only possible because of support from donors like you. Please know that now more than ever we need you with us to stop President Trump’s reckless seismic airgun blasting plans in the year ahead.
Aquaman Coming to a Theater Near You December 21
Aquaman Coming to a Theater Near You December 21. The world's oceans need a hero. A hero like you. But we'll take a Super Hero too. Oceana is an official nonprofit partner of Warner Bros. Pictures and Aquaman and empowers people around the world to be real ocean heroes. Aquaman comes to a theater near you on December 21, 2018. Follow the link below to purchase advanced tickets. Read more
2018 19 Taiji Drive Hunt Season Quota Cove Japan
Europe’s first Dolphin Sanctuary:
While it seems like yesterday we were welcoming in the new year, I’m amazed by how much progress we’ve made for dolphins during these past twelve months. Our global outreach has never been broader, with more people in all parts of the world realizing that dolphins do not belong in captivity, nor deserve to be victims of slaughter. Our team continues to work extensively in Japan, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, and the United States, in addition to ramping up efforts to make the first European dolphin sanctuary a reality.

Ric O’Barry scouts locations in Greece for Europe’s first Dolphin Sanctuary:
Ric O’Barry scouts locations in Greece for Europe’s first Dolphin Sanctuary
2018 saw much progress in the movement to put a permanent end to dolphin captivity as well as increased awareness about the plight of dolphins. I continued to scout locations across Europe to build the first European Dolphin Sanctuary, a safe seaside location where former show-dolphins can retire in peace and dignity. We are very excited about what we have discovered in Crete. And we’re excited about the level of cooperation we have received in Greece.

Lincoln O'Barry crossing the Coral Sea enroute to Fanalei in the Solomon Islands.
Lincoln O'Barry crossing the Coral Sea enroute to Fanalei in the Solomon Islands.
Lincoln O’Barry and Dr. Sarah Meltzoff continued their on-the-ground work in the Solomon Islands, assisting communities evolve from their conventional dolphin hunts. Home to the largest drive slaughter of dolphins in the world, annual kills continue to drop significantly. We continue to fund the salaries of the teachers and school supplies for the village kindergarten school that we constructed in 2016. Dolphin Project completed a permanent base (community house) in Fanalei which has further strengthened our work in marine protection.

Dolphin Project team members moved to quickly confiscate two spinner dolphins – “Kari” and “Munjawa” – bringing them to Camp Lumba Lumba, December 2017. 
In Indonesia, Dolphin Project and our partner JAAN successfully re-negotiated a five-year Cooperation Agreement with the Indonesian government to maintain Camp Lumba Lumba as the designated rescue and release facility for illegally captured dolphins. Last December, our Indonesian marine mammal team and the Jakarta Animal Aid Network rescued and released a spinner dolphin, destined for Indonesia’s barbaric traveling circus. The dolphin was taken to Camp Lumba Lumba, where it was evaluated before released into her home range. In the new year, we will assist the government in microchipping all captive dolphins in the country, so that the illegal trafficking of dolphins comes to an end. 

Two education centers in Karimun Jawa built by Dolphin Project.Two education centers in Karimun Jawa built by Dolphin Project in 2018.
Two education centers in Karimun Jawa built by Dolphin Project.
We have now built our second education center in Karimun Jawa which will host class visits and provide a conservation curriculum and resources.

Colorful street art in Bali highlights the plight of dolphin captivity.
In collaboration with local and visiting street artists, we are continuing our mural campaign on buildings across Bali, spreading awareness about dolphin captivity. 

Mini Monitors Imogen and Aidan at the Cove, Taiji, Japan.
Mini Monitors Imogen and Aidan at the Cove, Taiji, Japan.
Dolphin Project returned to The Cove in Taiji, Japan, for its 16th season, where our team is on the ground for the entire six-month hunting season. Using live-streaming technology across multiple social media platforms to document the dolphin drive hunts, we remain committed to sharing this information with the world. Dolphin Project continues our lawsuit to challenge my illegal deportation from Japan so that I can return to Taiji one day in the not-too-distant future to join my team on the ground at the Cove.
Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project
Dolphin Project
Dolphin Project
As we prepare to herald in a new and promising year, all of us at Dolphin Project remain as committed as ever to improving the lives of dolphins, and helping to keep them wild and free. A movement that started 48 years ago with a vision and a t-shirt has evolved into a global activism powerhouse. My life’s mission was carved out one fateful day in 1970, but now, it’s up to us all to make permanent changes for those whose voices have been silenced. Each time you donate to Dolphin Project, know that you are aiding the longest-running anti-captivity dolphin welfare organization in the world. Please continue to share our blogs, petitions and social media posts, and strike up a dialogue with whomever will listen. No action is ever too small and everything we do matters. Thank you for your support and for being on the right side of history.
Give the Gift That Gives Back to Oceans

Make your holiday gift giving count this year for our oceans and your loved ones with a symbolic adoption from Oceana. Choose from a number of different ocean animals and adoption packages, from penguins to sea turtles to orcas. Your gift will help support our critical work protecting the oceans and the marine wildlife that call it home. Make your adoption before December 14 to receive FREE shipping and guaranteed delivery by December 25. 
Put a smile on your loved ones' faces this holiday season with a symbolic ocean animal adoption today