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http://www.msa.govt.nz/publications/pressreleases/20070902b.asp

really happy to hear that they have now been found!!!

It is good to know that the sea shepherd crew members are okay. Be safe, you guys. I think about the things you all are doing for the whales on a daily basis, and I am grateful that there are people in the world with such dedication and courage. My heart is with you in the coming days, as you close in on the whalers. Good luck, and godspeed.

I'll say up front that i'm not an activist like most of the people who would post here, but i have been watching this drama play out over the last month. All i can say is WOW !

"I am grateful that there are people in the world with such dedication and courage."

Dedication ?
Greenpeace Yes
Sea Shepherd Yes

Courage ?
Greenpeace ?
Sea Shepherd Definitely

I tell ya, from a "dedication to actually doing something" standpoint I have a lot of respect for these Sea Shepherd guys. I've never heard of them until last month, but man do they do it right.

They beat Greenpeace to antarctic.
They found the whalers in what seems to have been a big cat and mouse game.

This stuff reminds me of the logging protests that happened about 10 years ago in British Columbia.
That stuff back then sure got the world discussing the issue.

Way to Go Sea Shepherd.
Sure beats standing around with signs and slogans.
You gotta know they are making a difference when they are stirring up a hornets next of controversy.

The best part is it seems they have done everything according to international law.
I always though that Citizens Arrest and similar concepts no longer existed.

Go Sea Shepherd and good luck Greenpeace with giving them support.

Cheers !

You guys need to WORK WITH Sea Shepherd when you're down there in the Sanctuary. Declining to tell them your coordinates when they radioed you to tell you where the whalers are was just wrong. There needs to be solidarity in this movement. No matter what disagreements you and Sea Shepherd may have, when you are down in the Antarctic, put your bulls**t problems aside and do your job--save the whales. Fight the whalers. They are dying while you are carrying on this petty arugment with Paul Watson. Get over yourselves and do us all proud by working together. SS is reaching out to you and you will only hurt those you seek to protect--the whales--by persisting in carrying out the drama.

Oh, and go vegan. Because if all of you aren't vegan, you're hypocrites. It's not a "personal choice", it's a MUST if you are an environmental/AR activist.

Hi Robert - I'm not sure why you're so down on us. For a start, there's no 'whale-saving competition'on in the Southern Ocean. It isn't a game, either. We left port only weeks ago (January 26th), and have only been in the Antarctic area for about four days. Sea Shepherd left port in December - and have now been at sea for some six weeks or so.

There's 38 people on board the Esperanza who would find it strange that you question their dedication or courage, given the tasks that that will be testing them over the coming weeks. Many of them have been here before, and have put their bodies between the harpoons and the whales. They'll be doing it again, as will the newcomers.

Wow. So two of you boneheads FELL OFF the boat, and the Japanese you tried to injure actually helped you find them...
does the word irony mean anything to you people?
Good Lord, I keep realizing how much I dislike Middle Class kids from comfortable families annoy me.
If any of you actually had to work for a living you'd understand how difficult the lives of the Japanes whalers actually are.
To quote my Big brother Joe...
"Get off your Butt and GET A JOB!!!"

Mr E. Sipes. I think you have the wrong organisation - it the incident was with Sea Shepherd not us. As far as we're aware (we're not where they are, we're several hundred miles away).

As for your prejudices and assumptions - what does this have to with middle-class kids?

On board Greenpeace ships (I cannot speak for Sea Shepherd) we have professional sailors, pilots, filmmakers, photographers, boat drivers, mechanics, engineers, writers, cooks... this IS our job. We are already off our butts and working!!

So Mr E. Sipes - what did you do today to save the whales?

Mims - we don't work with Sea Shepherd because we have a three-decade history of non-violent direct action. That is our choice, based on our principles, which we will stick to.

Any discussion of supposed "petty arguments" between us is taking away from the real issue, here which is the whales. We're down here to save whales, and that's what we're going to do.

We have a majority of vegans and vegetarians on board. I have to disagree with you - it is personal choice! Forcing people to do anything is just plain wrong. You have to give people informed options, and then let them choose.

Folks, if this is going to descend into a Greenpeace slagging-session, please continue it here.

Thanks

Strikes me that part of what matters here is the fact that despite all the disagreements -- between Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd and the Whalers -- nobody stops to argue when a human life is at stake.

Everybody comes to the rescue.

Personally, I wish that the same moral imperative prevailed when it comes to the lives of whales.

Mims, if Greenpeace worked with Sea Shepherd I would not support them and would cease my donations.

Greenpeace protest peacefully and within the legal boundaries which govern this world, you only win the game by playing by the rules. I completely agree with their methods and their views, they've done the research and can substantiate any claim they make.

Just because you call something 'illegal' a million times over, doesn't actually make it illegal. Unfortunately what the Japanese fleet is doing is legal (even though its smoke and mirrors), and operating vessels under a pirate flag on the high seas, while nailing plates to the hull of a national vessel ("The plates are secured by Hilt nail guns that drive steel nails through solid steel") in my view constitutes piracy and Japan has every right to respond accordingly, which could involve New Zealand being asked to intervene as their duty to cooperate in the repression of piracy, how does New Zealand say No to that?

The actions of Sea Shephard have put everyones lives in danger, as evidenced today. And I absolutely and completely disagree with it.

Greenpeace, stand strong, you're doing the right thing and you have my full support!

Hey Brian,

Why is it that a group based out of a major meat eating nation like the Netherlands travels to the other side of the world to complain about people from other places who eat whales?

Shouldn't you guys be acting on the "moral imperative" to save the lives of cows and pigs in the Netherlands before you go burning up fuel to harrass people engaged in an activity of much less significance on the other side of the world?

It's all about saving Greenpeace's corporate brand, isn't it?

Folks, don't pay too much attention to David - he seems to spent an incredible amount of time coming in here to stir things up and get a reaction out of people. I've asked him if he's getting paid by the Institute for Cetacean Research (I have no evidence to say he does), and he says 'no', but does a fine damn job at being their most vocal advocate.

Personally, I don't seriously think he believes the cows & pigs vs whales argument - I actually think he's too intelligent to believe it makes any sense.

David - You should carefully re-read GP's viewpoint. While the majority of Esperanza crew are vegetarians and vegans, it is their personal choice. GP is neither animal rights organization nor against eating meat in general. Conservation and saving endangered whales (even minke) are the impulse.

David, there are more than a few environmental organisations who'd like to have Greenpeace's resources to do what they are doing. If these orgs would have the possibility to campaign on whaling in the Antarctic, would you call that "saving the corporate brand"? Or maybe it's just a personal attack on Greenpeace in particular?

Hello David,

I'm not really sure where you're going with your comments, except that it would be awesome if you could direct your energy toward meeting in the middle and talking with Greenpeace.

Pretend we're sitting in a room together. How would you like the conversation to go? I mean, you obviously like us, since you're hanging out a lot ;-)

Seriously, let's focus on whaling and the issues involved.

What the whaling interests want here is to create tedious fractious arguments among us as a distraction from action. So the best way to thumb your nose at Tokyo is to take action:

Send the email



Call the embassy

Send a LEGO message

Japan's attempt to make it appear that the world wants whaling has taken a blow with the US, Netherlands, and a whole heap of other countries deciding to boycott the effort. They DON'T want us to show the power of public opposition by knocking Denmark out too. Hit the phones, people, hit the phones!

hurry up, my friends, to quickly join the crew of the Farley Mowat and of the Robert Hunter in order to try to stop the slaughter of those whales in the Ross Sea.
I WOULD LOVE to see the three vessels in full collaboration for protecting the whales right now and there.
Good luck and peace

Right on, Brian! That's what I was trying to say! Let's all channel our energy toward CHANGE.

i'm afraid that i have to agree with felyne. i have a loved one aboard the esperanza and i would be severely worried if greenpeace was coordinating with sea shepard in any way outside of finding the lost crew members. sea shepard is unprepared and irresponsible-losing two of your crew members in the Arctic sea for 8 hours is unforgivable! i am thrilled as i stated above that the members have been found safe and sound. no one in either organization denied that the killing of the whales must stop. i sleep far easier knowing that when my husband puts himself in front of the whales and the whalers that he is prepared with the proper communication and positioning equipment to be quickly found should there be technical difficulties with the inflatable boat. being alive to fight another day is the real point is it not-especially for an activist?

p.s. i've been a vegetarian for 15 years (i'm 34) in case this ridiculous argument should continue to be necessary in deciding the legitimacy of my above statement.

Dave,

Actually, I'm totally serious. Perhaps you didn't understand what I was saying, so please allow me to elaborate:

Brian suggests that it would be nice were humans to react to a whale who's life was in danger in the same way as they would with respect to a human. If that's the case, surely the same applies to a cow or a pig (especially since we know that pretty much every cow and pig will die in human slaughterhouses amongst their mates).

Humans aren't endangered. Neither are the Antarctic minke whales, pigs, or cows. The Fin whale is "Endangered" according to the IUCN, but then you guys aren't protesting the Fin whale hunting - you're protesting even the Antarctic minke whale hunting, right? So it leads me to think that whales being "Endangered" in terms of IUCN categories has nothing to do with this whatsoever today in 2007.

All I'm suggesting Dave, is that a little more consistency might be in order.

At least, that's a prerequisite for having any chance of putting an end to whaling.

Up to you how you run your campaigns of course. Greenpeace have been running this campaign for the last 30 years, so I guess by now you've figured out what works and what doesn't.

Hi Guys...,
...and it's really pretty easy to figure this one out. When you look at the big picture, the common denominator is always the antagonists, against those with real Love and purpose in their lives. What a cever little deception that was, ...the first five posts all trying to twist public support away from Greenpeace, and toward the Sea Shepard. I wouln't be surprised if these two guys lost overboard was just a publicity stunt. What else can you really think when their people act so irresponsibly toward peaceful solutions. I support vegetarianism and going vegan, ...but respect for another's personal choice, is my choice, ...and it's not yours Mims, to make, or try to force on anyone. I don't think the whales really care who offers them mercy. And this is what it's really all about, right?
I'm truly sorry for you Dave Walsh, Brian, ...and you heroes on board there, ...that you have to take this kind of abuse. But you are the real heroes in this world, ...and my personal ones. Thank you for making the right choices, saying the right words, ...and trying so very hard to do what you know is right. You guys are the best. Thanks to you too Felyne, ...totally awesome post. ...GC

addendum..., ...you say you're vegan, ...but do you drive a car, ...pilot a powerboat, ...walk on the sidewalk? You don't notice all those things you lay to waste as you cruise along, do you. So those of you on the Sea Shepard that want to come down so hard on non-vegetarians, should turn around and let the wind blow you home before you hurt anything else with that huge prop of yours. I'm only saying, ...don't be so quick to cast a stone, as to the virtues of others, before you have a real look at whether you have any of your own. Thanks Heather...

David -

Of course Greenpeace opposes the hunting of endangered fin whales, along with all hunting in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

You should know this because you been posting pro-whaling comments on this blog for a year now.

What an enormous discussion, while people from Sea Shepherd en very soon Greenpeace, are busy saving whales. I think an accident which happened with a zodiac from Sea Shepherd can always happen. Even with Greenpeace!
Greenpeace offered their help, and even the Japanese whalers searched for the zodiac-members.
The captain from Sea Shepherd thanked the whalers for searching and went on with his work, saving whales! Personally I don't think this was for publicity, they are allready in full picture because they located the whalers.
They have given the location to Greenpeace, and now they can work together to prevent the Japanese harpooning whales. That's what is all about, saving whales!
I hope my English is understandable, it's quite a few years since I've written in English.

With kindest regards,

an animal-lover from Holland (and a vegetarian...).

ooops...sorry i totally misposted i me meant to say that i full agree with felyne statements. i apologize as this conversation has gotten very confusing and a bit sad.

firstly, a huge relief that the missing crew have been found. A nasty few hours yesterday when I was putting myself in their shoes - utterly lost in a freezing environment. brrrrrrrr. scary stuff.

Now that they're safe, let's look at some of the media coverage and the spin.

Sea Shepherd said (and the missing crew later confirmed) that the two crew were last seen near the Factory ship the Nisshin Maru.

But the "whaling section chief of the Japanese Fisheries Agency" Hideki Moronuki, had a different story (according to the Sydney Morning Herald)

"...it was his understanding that the missing crew were from the Farley Mowat and that no Japanese ships were near the Farley Mowat when the two crew members disappeared.

"The velocity of the Farley Mowat is very slow so when the accident happened no Japanese vessels were near Farley Mowat so nobody knows what happened to the two crew," he said.

???? He knew very well that the crew was on an inflatable and that this had nothing to do with how fast the Farley Mowat is!

As the activities go on we know there will only be more of this sort of spin from the whalers about what happens down there.

I just hope the media picks up on - and challenges - these inconsistencies.

But now we have a name for the man responsible for this operation: Hideki Moronuki. Remember this man. He COULD actually stop the whaling.

Dave on the 'Esperanza':
Read this and my other reply to you in the other thread and you'll realize I am not down on Greenpeace. I just believe that different tactics are needed.

I also have the utmost respect for anyone who would venture into the southern ocean to try prevent this bogus "whale research".
If I ever meet members of your crew I'll shake their hands and buy them a beer.

------------------------------------

Felyne and Grateful Child:

Give your head a shake..
Losing crew in the Southern Ocean as a publicity stunt ? I gather that you have no idea what it's like to be at sea, never mind the southern ocean.
It's not a damn lake in summer with perfect weather.

As for my posting my opinion about Greepeace's efforts vs Sea Shepherd's....
I have no affiliation with either either, even as a donor.

From what I read yesterday of the IWC rules (from the IWC website), and the charter that the Sea Shepherd group is supposedly upholding... the Japanese Whalers ARE breaking the law.

As for my point of view on tactics..
Next time you see a drug dealer selling drugs.. walk up to him nicely and say "please stop running drugs and wrecking kids lives"... or stand in front of him and impede him in a non-violent way... And see how far you get.
Just ask the student protesters in tiananmen square how far standing peacefully in front if a tank gets you.
In most parts of the world.. it gets you nowhere.

As this pro-whaling guy "david" said... you've been doing it for 30 years... has whaling stopped ?
As they say.. "If you keep doing the same thing and expect a different result..."

Last night I also spent a few hours reading both pro and con about the Sea Shepherd organization.
(and this whole IWC problem)
People in this thread talk about them trying to "injure" people.
As far as I've read, they haven't tried to injure people, nor have the done anything outside the bounds of international law. If they had, obviously they'd be in jail years ago.
Some authorities seem to hate them. That's because they don't play the game by the other side's rules.
If they want to damage inanimate objects... they should.
It's like smashing meth lab equipment.

Greenpeace on the other hand, which evidently has a huge amount of donors,
should consider giving some "development aid" to some IWC member Caribbean countries, just like the Japanese did.

Both the Sea Shepherd founders and Greenpeace should think back to where they came from.
Also look back and see what has changed... and what hasn't. Logging was still going on north of Tofino B.C. last time I sailed in that area...

The last thing the world needs is Sea Shepherd to become a bunch of killers and Greenpeace to become a huge lumbering politically correct dinosaur.
I don't think either ARE that.... YET.

While both Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd should, IMO take a long look at the effectiveness and risks of their tactics, I think the world should be glad they are willing to do what they can.

I myself am glad, because I was unaware of these whaling issues until last month. It's the news coverage triggered by Greenpeace and especially Sea Shepherd organizations that has made me aware.

Way to go. both of you.

Cheers,
Robert

Hi Robert...,
...and thanks, ...I know you mean well. Rattle rattle, ...I've been shaking my head, but I'm sorry I still do think Love is the answer. And yes, I know very well what it's like to be in rough seas, ...as rough as it gets. That's precicely why I consider the Sea Shepard ships actions unacceptable. Two of the Japanese sailors were injured from the acid they threw on deck, ...one having eye injuries. Maybe next time everyone could bring guns, ...they could have their own little war down there. Did you read how they lassoed an iceberg to keep from drifting away? Well, they'd better change their story soon, because there's a whopper if I ever heard one. Just how do you get thrown overboard carrying a long rope with you, and then 'lasso' an iceberg? A little too slippery for that, and really, ...physically impossible.
You asked me if I thought peaceful protest was the right thing to do for the Chinese students in Tiananmen Square. Let me ask you what you think would have happened if the students had turned violent? A merciless blood bath beyond description would certainly be the answer to that. It was just the excuse they were waiting for. And the man in front of the tank? Consider that act of Love was the most memorable impression left in everyone's mind, ...including yours. Please check out the video I did some years ago on the subject - Watching TV, by Roger Waters - http://www.gratefulchild.org/projects/gcweb/gc/html/video/watching_tv.html. It seems we never learn our lesson, ...and now the lesson has again gone too far in Iraq, ...yet another, and continuing violent solution that can never work. It has killed thousands of innocent children that never did any harm to my country, ...the US. Change will come when enough people find it in their hearts to find other ways, ...ways of kindness, Love, friendship, ...and responsibility, ...and that is what to teach our children. If you'll notice, it's not Greenpeace throwing barbs at Captain Watson, ...it's always the other way around, ...alway initiated by his followers. So what kind of people critisize those that have left the comfort of their homes, and risk their lives to see justice served? People with other motives, ...it's as simple as that. I'm not going to further respond to this thread. We all have a mission, and let's get to it, ...work together in harmony, ...expose violence in the Light, and not ever be a part of it.

Robert

"Both the Sea Shepherd founders and Greenpeace should think back to where they came from."

Guess what The seashepherd founder Paul Watson is also Greenpeace founder. Only Watson realised many many years ago that tactics Greenpeace is using aren't working for the whales (they are for greenpeace getting more donations with there snuff movies with dying whales) so he choose to be more direct and its working ..They are on the run for them

Paul, I suggest you check out a lot of the political work that Greenpeace is involved in - saving individual whales in an important task, but if your so-called "snuff-movies" aren't communicated to the people of the world, thereby bringing public pressure to bear on the diplomats at the IWC, then the whaling will continue. Sending ships to the Southern Ocean is only one component of trying to end whaling.

For more information, I suggest you read this article »

So Dave if the video's communicate Why you have to go year after year to Antartic to make new movies I think 1 or let say 10 dying whales will do for communication?? Get real ..go there to stop them and come back with a real good movie instead of Dying whale episode 35

Dave on the Esperanza: Paul, I've got to beg to differ. In two decades, this is the 8th Greenpeace Antarctic expedition. Of course, I'm sure you'll now ask me why we didn't go every year! Also, bear in mind that few people knew what was going on - before Greenpeace (Paul Watson included) started bringing back images of whales dead and dying from the Pacific back in the 1970s.

It's very difficult to show footage of the whales that get away. The footage you saw from last year shows dying whales - of course it does. Day after day, our activists were in boats, blocking the harpoon. We reckon they saved 82 whales. What you saw in the images were they ones that didn't manage to escape the harpoon. As I've stated elsewhere - saving 82 whales is great - but it's not enough. We want to save all the whales, that's why we transmit these images to the public. Bear in my mind, 92% of the Japanese public is not aware that their government is killing whales in the southern ocean. We still need to take images to demonstrate what is happening RIGHT NOW. I'm sorry if these images may disturb you, but it's necessary that we make these communications

Last year - read the weblog and tell me if it was just making movies!

I, like everyone, am very thankfull that the Seashepherd crew members were found. I recently watched a film made by the original Greenpeace members from Vancouver in the '70's. It was a very dramatic film and recorded a very similar incident when a zodiac when 2 crew members from the James Bay went missing in the fog for several hours. The filmaker captured the horror of the situation as the crew of the James Bay repeatedly blew their foghorn, hoping the zodiac could be led back by the sound. I'm amazed in these days, when GPS devices can be put in running shoes that once again crew in a zodiak could be lost in the fog.
Robert....Paul Watson was ONE of the original greenpeace members but not THE founder of Greenpeace. Did he quit GP or did they vote him out.....depends on who you listen to...but he's certainly been trying to discredit them ever since.

My prayers, thoughts and thanks go out to ALL who do whatever they can to oppose whaling.

Let Greenpeace play good cop and Sea Sheperd bad cop if it protects the whales from the Japanese fleet. Things move at such a glacial pace and so half-heartedly in the "legal" world that my sentiments are with Sea Sheperd's approach rather than with Greenpeace's (especially after reading Gerd's email to Paul Watson). While Greenpeace is well intended, it talks while Sea Sheperd does. With all the hullabaloo about global warming, it's time for Greenpeace to stop all the hot air and start taking care of business with the Japanese (and Icelandic) whaling fleets. Do more, talk less. Acta non Verba.

Dave on the Esperanza: George, please read the notes I appended to Adriana and Paul's posts. Thanks!

To me Greenpeace is like politicians, they campaign promising to right wrongs and blah blah, but once they get a taste of the good life, earn lots of money they become stars and what got them elected is soon forgotten.
I was watching the videos of how they were preparing for the Esperanza voyage, and the fast action, the music and everything about it made my eyes roll, I would like to see them do something to actually save whales this year instead of just filming their demise.

Dave on the Esperanza: Adriana - we just can't seem to get it right, eh? Some people criticise us for returning to the Southern Ocean at all. Now you're telling us off for attempting to communicate effectively.

See my comment to Paul about about filming dying (as opposed to escaped) whales. It seems that if we film whales in the full of health, we get criticised for not saving whales, and if we film dying whales we're not saving them. How do we win?

During last year's campaign, we went after the big corporates who had interests in whaling. By associating their brands with the dying whales, they were shamed into pulling out of the whaling business. In the USA, one of the companies was Gortons - quite a well known frozen fish company. They are no longer involved in whaling. Now the business has narrowed - It's the Fisheries Agency of Japan, the Institute of Cetacean Reseach that are the sole organisations behind Japanese whaling. The Japanese government helps fund the whaling through grant aid.

This has changed things - no longer are we after faceless enterprises - but now the Japanese taxpayer has a direction connection to the whaling. So, we're doing a lot of work in Japan to educate the public about this. This IS how we stop whaling - to get the Japanese government to finally come to terms with the fact that they are running a business that no one wants.

Adriana - there's 38 people on this ship who don't live like rockstars. There's people who have given up their life on shore for a while to come down here, to commit themselves to harsh conditions, to work long hours, and to put their bodies in front of the harpoons.

I don't think they'll appreciate your criticisms!

It sounds like harsh question -but what have you done today to stop whaling, apart from spend time telling us how we're getting it wrong?

- Dave

Further reading:
Last year - read the weblog and tell me if it was just making movies!

Why we're returning to the Southern Ocean

i'm just checking back to see how all you all are doing on the Esperanza. hopefully well!!!

honestly i would love someone to explain if all these people are so down on Greenpeace why are they spending so much time on a Greenpeace weblog? have they nothing better to do with their time? does sea shepherd not have an online forum for you to talk your trash in? surely your "contributions" would be far more appreciated there.

Leave Greenpeace and their crew alone you have no idea how hard they work and the kind of dedication it takes to be part of this mission. if you don't like Greenpeace, their policies or non violent tactics don't give them your money - its quite simple. you all need to stop being naughty! i assure you they have far more important things to do than to have to read and respond to your nastiness.

To those here who disagree with Sea Shepard, i.e. violent, direspectful, illegal, bad karma, whatever.

It's important to know that they simply do not care what you think. They defend whales, and they will do whatever is necessary to defend whales. They are not here to win friends (and sponsors), they are here to stop whales being killed. They will not hurt others, but they will put themselves in harms way to save life.

I wait to see if the Esperanza will make a difference. It is my hope that you can. A shame you cannot cooperate with Paul Watson. Does this not betray the fact that Greenpeace cares a great deal about it's image, and that cooperating with "pirates" could be bad for business? Why should this even matter? Where are your priorities? If cooperation would mean a more effective campaign against the murderous Japanese fleet, then why not exchange information?

I guess the answer is that you wish to draw attention to the issue of whaling and create change via increased political pressure around the world. That undertaking direct action activities does not help this cause. It might save a few individual whales, but won't stop whaling.

That's a fair enough position to take, and it seems very reasonable, but as the years go by, I'm more inclined to side the the Sea Shepard folks. The truth is that whaling has been getting worse, that politicians do nothing despite Greenpeace campaigning for as long as I can remember. I now think saving individual whales makes a lot more difference to the whales.

I wish you all well, and wait eagerly for news. Good luck

Dave,

I'm considering to make a donation for the whale campaign.
Can you tell me how much is actually going to the whales. Lets say i wanne donate 100.

Wow, thanks Paul. Greenpeace doesn't take donations towards specific campaigns. However, you can make a donation here, on this easy-to-use online form.

Thanks you!

Thats strange Dave cos GP is asking money for saving the whales ..GP crewmembers ask to raise money to go down south so if I i'm willing to give a donation I give it for the whales because those are important for me and the money should go there in respect of the people donate for that reason and not for things that GP finds important. If you use money you raise for the whales and spend to otherthings I would like to know that before i give money.

Hi Paul,

We make it very clear in our annual report how we spend our money, so you can be sure we're using it properly. The fact is, we can't "earmark" funds for particular campaigns, but of course your donation helps to save whales because it helps keep us running.

The thing is, if we DID earmark campaign money, then we would have a "survival of the cutest" situation, where for example lots of people would want to save whales but then we wouldn't be able to spend the money on say climate change, which also affects whales but isn't quite as "sexy"...except to people like Richard Branson! Not to mention it would probably cost us more money to do all the accounting and auditing than we would be spending on more worthwhile things!

Does that make sense?

Paul -

Without actually asking anyone in the fund raising or finance departments, I can think of a few reasons why earmarking donations doesn't make sense.

Partly because it would be an accounting nightmare.

People mostly donate through the national offices, some of that money goes to Greenpeace International (to fund the ships, work on international projects, global coordination, etc.). International also subsidies the offices in some countries where we need to be working, but are not good right now for fund raising.

The other reason is more fundamental.

We don't see it as separate campaigns at all. Instead, we feel we're working on different aspects of one larger issue. Just tackling it in different ways.

The whales work, for example, is linked to our overall oceans strategy. We're defending the Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary, while at the same time our larger goal is creating a network of marine reserves covering 40 percent of the world's oceans.

And some of the same people who authorize the whale hunt are also overseeing massive and destructive overfishing.

So, to me it's all connected.

I didn't catch your last name, but if you still want to help out, here's that donate page again.

If you want to do something for the whales, check out whales.greenpeace.org/. Start your own campaign, or help with one of the hundreds already there.

I think its rather hypocrit if GP specificly raises funds for anti Whaling using images of dying whales to get more impact (means more donations) ...and then when i donate its not even surtain the money goes to the whales.

If you don't wanne earmark then don't ask for it so specific.

Paul - I think you misread the note I left above. Greenpeace doesn't fundraise for particular campaigns.