Why Do Japanese People Hate Whales so much?, A Whale Of A Week, SeaWorld DOJ Investigation, Message from Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd, Protect Right Whales, Poor Fisheries Practices, Belugas, more...
We Are No Longer Pursuing Japanese Whalers – But We’ll Never Give Up - Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd. Sea Shepherd has accomplished something absolutely remarkable over the last twelve years.
In 2005 we set out to tackle the world’s largest and most destructive whaling fleet. We were told it was impossible by some governments and a few NGO’s.
Hardly anyone even knew about Japan’s illegal slaughter in the Southern Ocean. It was out of sight and out of mind. They were targeting 1,035 whales a year including a yearly quota of 50 endangered Humpbacks and 50 endangered Fin whales.
We had few resources but we took our one battered and slow vessel, the Farley Mowat and we chased the whalers across the Southern Ocean, catching them only for a few hours at a time until they sped away from us.
The stunning waters of the Southern Ocean that have been protected by Sea Shepherd.
In 2006 we were able to purchase the Steve Irwin and the tables began to turn as each year we became stronger and more effective. We brought in the Bob Barker, the Sam Simon, the Brigitte Bardot and the Ocean Warrior.
Sea Shepherd was relentless in reducing the yearly quotas significantly and in 2012/2013 the Japanese whalers went home with only about 10 percent of their intended kills. We did this at the same time the U.S. Federal Court put significant legal obstacles in our path.
The results speak for themselves. Over 6,000 whales saved. Not a single endangered Humpback killed and only 10 endangered Fin whales killed in a decade where 500 were slated to die. In addition, the Japanese whalers lost tens of millions of dollars.
We exposed Japan’s illegal activities to the world with our TV show Whale Wars and our documentation.
We helped to push Australia into taking Japan to the International Court of Justice where their operations were ruled to be unlawful. Japan was ordered by the ICJ to cease and desist.
They did so for a year and then returned with a new program (also illegal) that reduced their bogus self-allocated kill quota to 333 each year. This means that since 2015 another 1400 whales were spared the lethal harpoons. This means that 702 whales will continue to be saved every year.
Unfortunately, in an effort to prevent Sea Shepherd interventions, they doubled their killing grounds which means that they have more time and more area to kill their lowered quota.
Despite that, Sea Shepherd sent the Steve Irwin and the Ocean Warrior in pursuit of the whalers in 2016/17, and although it took them longer and cost them much more, the Japanese whalers managed to get their quota.
Captain Paul Watson leads the Sea Shepherd crew in their fight to save whales against a Japanese harpoon whaling vessel in 2008.
What we discovered is that Japan is now employing military surveillance to watch Sea Shepherd ship movements in real time by satellite and if they know where our ships are at any given moment, they can easily avoid us. During Operation Nemesis, the Sea Shepherd ships did get close and our helicopter even managed to get evidence of their illegal whaling operations, but we could not physically close the gap. We cannot compete with their military grade technology.
This year Japan escalated their resistance with the passing of new anti-terrorism laws, some of which are specifically designed to condemn Sea Shepherd tactics. For the first time ever, they have stated they may send their military to defend their illegal whaling activities.
The Japanese whalers not only have all the resources and subsidies their government can provide, they also have the powerful political backing of a major economic super-power. Sea Shepherd, however, is limited in resources and we have hostile governments against us in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
The decision we have had to face is: do we spend our limited resources on another campaign to the Southern Ocean that will have little chance of a successful intervention OR do we regroup with different strategies and tactics? If something is not working the only recourse is to look for a better plan, because when a plan no longer works, the only alternative is an improved course of action.
We need to formulate this new plan and we will.
We will not be sending ships to the Southern Ocean this year, but we are not abandoning the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. We need to cultivate the resources, the tactics and the ability to significantly shut down the illegal whaling operations of the Japanese whaling fleet. In the meantime, it’s time for the Australian government to live up to their promises. Sea Shepherd has been down in the Southern Ocean doing what the Australian government has the responsibility to do but have refused to do, and that is upholding international and Australian conservation law. Instead of supporting Sea Shepherd the Australian government has been supporting the Japanese whalers by harassing Sea Shepherd and obstructing Sea Shepherd’s ability to raise funds by denying our charitable status.
What Sea Shepherd has accomplished over the last twelve years demonstrates what people of passion can accomplish with few resources despite heavy multi-government opposition.
The Japanese whalers have been exposed, humiliated and most importantly have been denied thousands of lives that we have spared from their deadly harpoons. Thousands of whales are now swimming and reproducing, that would now be dead if not for our interventions.
One of the beautiful whales saved from whalers by Sea Shepherd, with one of their ships, Steve Irwin, in the background.
And perhaps more significantly than anything else, there are now voices in the Japanese government opposing the continuation of whaling. Our efforts have been like acupuncture needles stuck into Japanese society, probing and provoking responses. We have exposed the incredible waste of money, the corruption and the shame this dirty business has brought to all the Japanese people. Our efforts have been so significant that one Japanese official said that Japan has two enemies – China and Sea Shepherd!
Sea Shepherd’s continuing efforts to go after and shut down whalers will continue, and not only against Japanese whaling, but also against Norwegian, Danish, and Icelandic whaling. This is what we have been doing for forty years. We will never quit until the abomination of whaling is abolished forever by anyone, anywhere, for any reason.
Sea Shepherd is doing incredible things on the Ocean with limited resources, in addition to tackling illegal whaling activities. The endangered Vaquita would now be extinct if not for our intervention. We shut down the entire Southern Ocean pirate toothfish fleet. We have intercepted and stopped poachers off West Africa, in the marine reserves of the Galapagos, Sicily, and Panama. We have removed hundreds of tons of ghost nets and plastics from the sea, and most importantly we have shown the world what a few passionate and courageous people can do.
Our objective is to continue to serve and protect all life in the Ocean from illegal and greedy exploitation by destructive humans.
Sea Shepherd is guided by this one reality: If the Ocean dies, we die! All Image Source: Sea Shepherd
SeaWorld Is Under Investigation by the Department of Justice! The wildly popular documentary Blackfish broadcasted on a wide scale and revealed the disturbing truths behind SeaWorld and marine mammals in captivity to the world. Featuring in-depth interviews with former SeaWorld employees and undercover footage, the film exposed the extreme animal cruelty and greed of the company.
Among SeaWorld’s practices include kidnapping young calves from the wild or captivity as their distressed mothers protest with haunting cries, keeping animals in unnaturally small and inhumane enclosures, forcing animals to perform unnatural “tricks” in exchange for food, neglecting the well-being and health of animals who continually suffer from unchecked injuries and the psychological disorder zoochosis, drugging animals, and forcibly impregnating animals they view fit for “entertainment.”
The general public became absolutely outraged by what was revealed in Blackfish and SeaWorld’s ticket sales made a significant drop. However, in attempts to save whatever was left of the company’s reputation, a long line of excuses were made to explain the sudden changes in attendance, from blaming new attractions at nearby amusement parks to crediting the drop in sales to school schedules.
SeaWorld’s CEO, Jim Atchison, falsely claimed that Blackfish likely had no impact on ticket sales, despite the fact he sold over $4.5 million worth of shares of the company. SeaWorld later admitted that public disapproval was a major factor in the drop in profits, which then caused their stock value to plummet 33 percent, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars for other investors.
SeaWorld investors retaliated by suing the company for false claims that misled investors to keep stock in SeaWorld, and now the Department of Justice (DOJ) is undergoing an investigation to reveal if any financial crimes like insider trading were committed by SeaWorld. The acting chief of the DOJ’s Fraud Section, Sandra Moser, confirmed that criminal investigations on SeaWorld are being conducted by her department, and she is urging a judge to delay depositions in the civil litigation until November 30th, due to worries that the civil litigation could possibly “implicate and negatively affect the ongoing criminal investigation” and the questioning of witnesses.
Although this investigation does not directly involve the issue of marine mammals in captivity, it does shed light on the notorious greed and corruption of SeaWorld and shows the company that there are legal consequences for their actions.
If you are glad to see authorities investigating the corrupt organization, please share this with your network!
Protect Right Whales from Poor Fisheries Practices
Eight right whales have died in less than two months in the Gulf of St Lawrence. This is a huge tragedy, not only because right whales are majestic animals but because their North Atlantic numbers are less than 500. Every whale death threatens an already critically endangered population.
The whales suffered blunt trauma from collisions with boats as well as entanglement from nets that crab fishers had cast. These deaths were completely preventable.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) knows that something needs to change. They have already stopped crab fishing for the season, yet, next year, the same dangers will face these beautiful animals.
We need to pressure the DFO now to change the regulations around crab fishing and boat traffic in the Gulf of St Lawrence before it is too late and these wondrous creatures are gone for good.
Sign today to save the right whales! By signing today you are applying key pressure to the government to take timely action to revamp fishery regulations.
Tell Marineland: No More Live Animals at the ParkGia was a young beluga, born in captivity in Marineland in Southern Ontario, Canada. She never knew the joy of swimming in the wild before she tragically died, under the care of Marineland, earlier this month.
Gia had an intestinal blockage that was undetected until it was too late. Despite Marineland saying that they did their best, the question remains: why does Marineland still have live animals at their amusement park? Why was Gia not able to swim freely in her natural habitat?
Marineland has a sordid history of animal cruelty charges and is investigated regularly for complaints. They boast the largest group of belugas of any marine park yet imprisoning these majestic animals should be nothing to brag about.
It is well documented that animals do not prosper in captivity, especially marine animals whose range can span thousands of kilometres.
Marineland is home to many different amusement park rides already. There is no reason that live animals need to be subjected to potentially cruel and life-threatening circumstances. The park needs for focus on amusement that doesn't harm other creatures.
Luckily, there is already strong local opposition to Marineland's animal captivity. By standing together and applying loud pressure to Marineland we can help ensure that Gia is the last animal that dies in captivity there.
Sign today to tell Marineland to stop using live animals in its amusement park!
Join
Packy's Herd! Your
support of our Ten Worst Tanks List has just brought about a ban on imports and
performances of captive dolphins and whales in Vancouver, Canada. The evidence
presented in our Ten Worst Tanks List was also cited as the justification for
closing Dolphin Discovery at Six Flags in Mexico. These are whales of victories
that couldn't have happened without you. However, there is an elephant sized
battle rumble that we also, urgently, call on you to answer - to join Packy's
herd! GIVE
NOW
In 2005 we set out to tackle the world’s largest and most destructive whaling fleet. We were told it was impossible by some governments and a few NGO’s.
Hardly anyone even knew about Japan’s illegal slaughter in the Southern Ocean. It was out of sight and out of mind. They were targeting 1,035 whales a year including a yearly quota of 50 endangered Humpbacks and 50 endangered Fin whales.
We had few resources but we took our one battered and slow vessel, the Farley Mowat and we chased the whalers across the Southern Ocean, catching them only for a few hours at a time until they sped away from us.
In 2006 we were able to purchase the Steve Irwin and the tables began to turn as each year we became stronger and more effective. We brought in the Bob Barker, the Sam Simon, the Brigitte Bardot and the Ocean Warrior.
Sea Shepherd was relentless in reducing the yearly quotas significantly and in 2012/2013 the Japanese whalers went home with only about 10 percent of their intended kills. We did this at the same time the U.S. Federal Court put significant legal obstacles in our path.
The results speak for themselves. Over 6,000 whales saved. Not a single endangered Humpback killed and only 10 endangered Fin whales killed in a decade where 500 were slated to die. In addition, the Japanese whalers lost tens of millions of dollars.
We exposed Japan’s illegal activities to the world with our TV show Whale Wars and our documentation.
We helped to push Australia into taking Japan to the International Court of Justice where their operations were ruled to be unlawful. Japan was ordered by the ICJ to cease and desist.
They did so for a year and then returned with a new program (also illegal) that reduced their bogus self-allocated kill quota to 333 each year. This means that since 2015 another 1400 whales were spared the lethal harpoons. This means that 702 whales will continue to be saved every year.
Unfortunately, in an effort to prevent Sea Shepherd interventions, they doubled their killing grounds which means that they have more time and more area to kill their lowered quota.
Despite that, Sea Shepherd sent the Steve Irwin and the Ocean Warrior in pursuit of the whalers in 2016/17, and although it took them longer and cost them much more, the Japanese whalers managed to get their quota.
What we discovered is that Japan is now employing military surveillance to watch Sea Shepherd ship movements in real time by satellite and if they know where our ships are at any given moment, they can easily avoid us. During Operation Nemesis, the Sea Shepherd ships did get close and our helicopter even managed to get evidence of their illegal whaling operations, but we could not physically close the gap. We cannot compete with their military grade technology.
This year Japan escalated their resistance with the passing of new anti-terrorism laws, some of which are specifically designed to condemn Sea Shepherd tactics. For the first time ever, they have stated they may send their military to defend their illegal whaling activities.
The Japanese whalers not only have all the resources and subsidies their government can provide, they also have the powerful political backing of a major economic super-power. Sea Shepherd, however, is limited in resources and we have hostile governments against us in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
The decision we have had to face is: do we spend our limited resources on another campaign to the Southern Ocean that will have little chance of a successful intervention OR do we regroup with different strategies and tactics? If something is not working the only recourse is to look for a better plan, because when a plan no longer works, the only alternative is an improved course of action.
We need to formulate this new plan and we will.
We will not be sending ships to the Southern Ocean this year, but we are not abandoning the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. We need to cultivate the resources, the tactics and the ability to significantly shut down the illegal whaling operations of the Japanese whaling fleet. In the meantime, it’s time for the Australian government to live up to their promises. Sea Shepherd has been down in the Southern Ocean doing what the Australian government has the responsibility to do but have refused to do, and that is upholding international and Australian conservation law. Instead of supporting Sea Shepherd the Australian government has been supporting the Japanese whalers by harassing Sea Shepherd and obstructing Sea Shepherd’s ability to raise funds by denying our charitable status.
What Sea Shepherd has accomplished over the last twelve years demonstrates what people of passion can accomplish with few resources despite heavy multi-government opposition.
The Japanese whalers have been exposed, humiliated and most importantly have been denied thousands of lives that we have spared from their deadly harpoons. Thousands of whales are now swimming and reproducing, that would now be dead if not for our interventions.
And perhaps more significantly than anything else, there are now voices in the Japanese government opposing the continuation of whaling. Our efforts have been like acupuncture needles stuck into Japanese society, probing and provoking responses. We have exposed the incredible waste of money, the corruption and the shame this dirty business has brought to all the Japanese people. Our efforts have been so significant that one Japanese official said that Japan has two enemies – China and Sea Shepherd!
Sea Shepherd’s continuing efforts to go after and shut down whalers will continue, and not only against Japanese whaling, but also against Norwegian, Danish, and Icelandic whaling. This is what we have been doing for forty years. We will never quit until the abomination of whaling is abolished forever by anyone, anywhere, for any reason.
Sea Shepherd is doing incredible things on the Ocean with limited resources, in addition to tackling illegal whaling activities. The endangered Vaquita would now be extinct if not for our intervention. We shut down the entire Southern Ocean pirate toothfish fleet. We have intercepted and stopped poachers off West Africa, in the marine reserves of the Galapagos, Sicily, and Panama. We have removed hundreds of tons of ghost nets and plastics from the sea, and most importantly we have shown the world what a few passionate and courageous people can do.
Our objective is to continue to serve and protect all life in the Ocean from illegal and greedy exploitation by destructive humans.
Sea Shepherd is guided by this one reality: If the Ocean dies, we die! All Image Source: Sea Shepherd
SeaWorld Is Under Investigation by the Department of Justice! The wildly popular documentary Blackfish broadcasted on a wide scale and revealed the disturbing truths behind SeaWorld and marine mammals in captivity to the world. Featuring in-depth interviews with former SeaWorld employees and undercover footage, the film exposed the extreme animal cruelty and greed of the company.
The general public became absolutely outraged by what was revealed in Blackfish and SeaWorld’s ticket sales made a significant drop. However, in attempts to save whatever was left of the company’s reputation, a long line of excuses were made to explain the sudden changes in attendance, from blaming new attractions at nearby amusement parks to crediting the drop in sales to school schedules.
SeaWorld’s CEO, Jim Atchison, falsely claimed that Blackfish likely had no impact on ticket sales, despite the fact he sold over $4.5 million worth of shares of the company. SeaWorld later admitted that public disapproval was a major factor in the drop in profits, which then caused their stock value to plummet 33 percent, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars for other investors.
SeaWorld investors retaliated by suing the company for false claims that misled investors to keep stock in SeaWorld, and now the Department of Justice (DOJ) is undergoing an investigation to reveal if any financial crimes like insider trading were committed by SeaWorld. The acting chief of the DOJ’s Fraud Section, Sandra Moser, confirmed that criminal investigations on SeaWorld are being conducted by her department, and she is urging a judge to delay depositions in the civil litigation until November 30th, due to worries that the civil litigation could possibly “implicate and negatively affect the ongoing criminal investigation” and the questioning of witnesses.
Although this investigation does not directly involve the issue of marine mammals in captivity, it does shed light on the notorious greed and corruption of SeaWorld and shows the company that there are legal consequences for their actions.
If you are glad to see authorities investigating the corrupt organization, please share this with your network!
Protect Right Whales from Poor Fisheries Practices
The whales suffered blunt trauma from collisions with boats as well as entanglement from nets that crab fishers had cast. These deaths were completely preventable.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) knows that something needs to change. They have already stopped crab fishing for the season, yet, next year, the same dangers will face these beautiful animals.
We need to pressure the DFO now to change the regulations around crab fishing and boat traffic in the Gulf of St Lawrence before it is too late and these wondrous creatures are gone for good.
Sign today to save the right whales! By signing today you are applying key pressure to the government to take timely action to revamp fishery regulations.
Gia had an intestinal blockage that was undetected until it was too late. Despite Marineland saying that they did their best, the question remains: why does Marineland still have live animals at their amusement park? Why was Gia not able to swim freely in her natural habitat?
Marineland has a sordid history of animal cruelty charges and is investigated regularly for complaints. They boast the largest group of belugas of any marine park yet imprisoning these majestic animals should be nothing to brag about.
It is well documented that animals do not prosper in captivity, especially marine animals whose range can span thousands of kilometres.
Marineland is home to many different amusement park rides already. There is no reason that live animals need to be subjected to potentially cruel and life-threatening circumstances. The park needs for focus on amusement that doesn't harm other creatures.
Luckily, there is already strong local opposition to Marineland's animal captivity. By standing together and applying loud pressure to Marineland we can help ensure that Gia is the last animal that dies in captivity there.
Sign today to tell Marineland to stop using live animals in its amusement park!
