9 February 2007
Whaling: The International Situation
Posted by Karli, on the Esperanza
© Greenpeace/Beltra
Almost every single person on this ship comes from a country that says they are opposed to whaling. But saying you are opposed to whaling, and then doing something about it are two different things; there is a whole spectrum of action and inaction that lies between. So, while we are here amongst the icebergs of the Southern Ocean, preparing to take direct action to save whales from Japanese Government's whaling fleet's deadly harpoons... what is going on in the rest of the world?
From one International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting to the next, the Japanese government works away at recruiting new countries to vote pro-whaling... However, although the IWC started life as an organisation that represented fifteen whaling nations in the divvying up of the oceans' whales and tried to keep things from getting too far out of hand - the IWC has now changed. Over time, nations that wanted to see whales protected began joining, giving strength and a voice for the whales. Those years saw the introduction of the moratorium on commercial whaling and the establishment of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. But is that momentum now slipping away, and the majority eroding?
Last year, the IWC meeting at St Kitts and Nevis gave everyone a wake-up call. The year before they were to host the IWC, the government received hundreds of millions of yen from Japan for fisheries development. Six hundred and seventeen million to be exact. Come meeting time, they refused entry to the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, and arrested Greenpeace activists during a peaceful protest in which they were erecting 945 whale tails on a beach, symbolising the whales due to be killed in the upcoming hunt. At the meeting itself, pro-whaling countries attempted to abolish the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Although established twelve years earlier with only a single vote (Japan) against it, the Sanctuary now retained only a slim majority: 33 votes to 28.
Perhaps that was just the wake up call that was needed. Since then, Croatia and Slovenia, both pro-conservation countries, have joined the IWC. There is hope for others to finalise their membership, in time to shore up support for the whales at the Anchorage meeting in May. Other countries with debts to the organisation - it's not cheap to belong have lost their right to vote. Peru, Kenya and Costa Rica, which have all supported whales in the past, have lost their votes in this way. And then, there are those countries where the government simply - for whatever reason - votes against the wishes of their people. Denmark and Nicaragua both vote with the Japanese government, though at home their public are supportive of whale conservation.
A 2006 poll done by WWF in 10 poor developing countries, recruited by the Japanese Government to vote with it at the IWC, found that in nine out of ten of these countries, more people thought that their country should vote against commercial whaling than favoured a vote for it. In one Caribbean country which is a particularly vocal supporter of Japan, 79% of the population opposed whaling and only 14% supported it. In seven of these countries, people were not even aware that their country was a member of the IWC.
As May draws closer, and the next meeting of the IWC looms, we need to do all we can to protect whales, not just from the immediate danger of explosive harpoons, but from the longer-term threat of their protection being gradually eroded. That's why the expedition to the Southern Ocean is just one part of what we are doing. Each member of our crew knows that whatever we do here will be in vain if our countries aren't working at a political level to ensure they have the support they need at the IWC. And all those campaigners and activists out there (you all!) - in countries that are on the brink of joining the IWC, countries that need to pay off their debts, countries whose governments are not representing their own people with their IWC votes, or are not doing enough to support the whales - can join this effort.
To share ideas about your campaign and ours, go to whales.greenpeace.org and join the biggest crew ever to defend the whales.
Make sure your government is in Anchorage in May, voting for the whales.
- Karli
Comments
the sea shepard reports that you will not co-operate WHY? they did say they were anxiously awaiting your arrival
Posted by: mark berry at February 9, 2007 7:30 PM
I LIVE IN MEXICO AND I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OUR GOVERNMENTS ARE DOING ALL OVER THE WORLD: NOT TAKING CARE OF NATURE. I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT YOU OR WHATEVER ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THIS ISSUES, BUT I DONT KNOW HOW. THANK YOU
Posted by: MONICA CAL Y MAYOR LEACH at February 9, 2007 9:18 PM
Mark, I don't know where you saw that report, but it's incorrect. You can find the full story here »
Posted by: Dave on the Esperanza at February 10, 2007 2:02 AM
The story is about the two missing people from Sea Shepherd, I think it's important Greenpeace will join Sea Shepherd with the goal to stop the whaling. It doesn't matter which different ideas you may have, it's all about the whales!
Go there in peace, you both want to save the whales!
With kindest regards,
Ellen from Holland.
Posted by: ellen at February 11, 2007 12:15 AM
Rather than condeming Sea Shepards efforts, maybe you should try some of their tactics in saving whales. What Sea Shepard are doing has got alot of global media coverage - I haven't heard any of your efforts apart from you guys condemming Sea Sheapard. Saving whales is fantastic and important but maybe just a little more proactiveness on your behalf will save a few more.
The loudest all ways get heard!
Aaron from NZ
Posted by: Aaron at February 12, 2007 10:31 PM
Hi Aaron. Believe me, you'll be hearing from us. Are you suggesting that we eschew our values of non-violence? That is not our way.
You say you haven't heard about our efforts - yet, elsewhere on this blog, we're being criticised for getting TOO much media coverage in the past. Greenpeace has been campaigning against whaling for three decades - since a time when commercial whaling was still only happening.
Read about Last year's Southern Ocean Whales expedition
Posted by: Dave on the Esperanza at February 12, 2007 11:30 PM
This morning on Radio National in Australia we heard the Sea Sheperd dude say that they were rammed by the whalers. He said that if Sea Sheperd had rammed the Japanese he would have admitted it. He said that Sea Sheperd often ram whaling ships. He also said Greenpeace were "part of the problem" and they were only there to "feel good". So people think Sea Sheperd are the heros. The public don't really mind if Sea Sheperd is breaking the law and risking their lives because in the circumstances the Japanese are breaking the law. The obvious lack of cooperation between Sea Sheperd and Greenpeace is atrocious. Greenpeace are losing face and potential funding. Public perceptions are important right now. The Greenpeace press release by Karli Thomas sounds like bickering. In fact by Sea Sheperd are regarded as COURAGEOUS for breaking laws and being branded as pirates. The opposition to whaling needs to be more united.
This is probably a very simplistic assessment but that's what people are thinking.
Posted by: Hal at February 12, 2007 11:36 PM
I just read Hal's posting...
A campaign to ultimately finish 'research' whaling (commercial by another name)has to be fought on several levels. I have no doubt that Sea Shepherd's approach is one of these levels. Greenpeace has a greater ability to bring the awful truth about 'research' whaling to the masses by means of its greater recognisability... yet another level. This married with publicity, embarassment, boycotts etc. will ultimately win out. Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace are bedfellows in their objective to stop whaling. Recognise it for that. Get on with it, help each other where possible, without compromising your ideals.
'Once more onto the breach... dear friends'
Addo.. Co. Clare Ireland
Posted by: Addo Zappler at February 13, 2007 4:31 PM
Dave.
Could you ever go up the flagpole and give that WebCam a kick..... it seems to have frozen..
Alternatively a hot cup of Barrys Tea might do it!
Addo
Posted by: Addo Zappler at February 13, 2007 4:33 PM
Have you ever chased Norwegian or Iceland whaling ships before like you are doing to the Japanese? I have never seen or heard of the same level of protests happened to them.
Do you criticise Japan particularly because they hunt whales in the name of science or the Japanese are simply an easy target since they are pretty useless explaining their cases, stories, arguments, etc. in your language.
I wish you had condemned the sea shepherd act driving into the Kaiko-maru yesterday.
I just feel really sad that the fact of the matter is that a certain grope of people uses violence to achieve their goals and it's O.K while if the others (i.e. non-white races) use the same tactics they will hugely get critisised (mainly by the white people), called terrorists (and probably arrested and put in jail !)
What do you think?
Dave on the Esperanza:
Greenpeace on Norwegian whaling
Stop Icelandic Whaling
Posted by: Kayo Ishizawa at February 15, 2007 3:49 AM
Posted by: Dave on the Esperanza at February 15, 2007 4:39 AM
Great yob. I support You!
Best wishes
Posted by: mrak at February 15, 2007 6:50 PM
I have no problem with the japanese or anyother country taking a few whales especially Minke Whales. Minke Whales are smaller and as a species have a greater reproductive capacity than larger whales species. Large populations of Mink whales compete with fin, humpback, blue, and right whales for food. for larger baleen whales to make a comeback populations of Minke need to be reduced.
Posted by: Joe at February 15, 2007 7:36 PM
Konnichiwa Kayo-san,
Thanks you for your comment, and to answer the questions that you raise:
Q: Have we protested against other whaling fleets?
Yes, Greenpeace started its anti-whaling campaign in 1975 protesting the Russian whaling fleet. Since then we have done actions against whaling ships in Australia, Brazil, Iceland, Peru, Spain and Norway. We had one person badly injured by the Norwegian coast guard and were shot at by whalers with guns. Japan is in fact the last whaling country to have its ships confronted by Greenpeace.
Q: Why do we criticise Japan particularly?
Greenpeace criticises the Japanese government’s whaling programme in particular because their hunt is taking place on the high seas, which belong to everyone not just to Japan, and what’s more they are hunting whales in an internationally agreed whale sanctuary. The 'science' is nothing more than a front for commercial whaling. The number of whales they are killing is increasing by the year, and they have started taking endangered whales and plan to increase the number of endangered whales hunted next year.
Q: "Is it because the Japanese are simply an easy target since they are pretty useless explaining their case?
This is far from the case – the Japanese government’s whaling advocates are very eloquent and put their case strongly. They also employ public relations companies to put their case across in English speaking countries.
"I wish you had condemned the sea shepherd act driving into the Kaiko-maru yesterday."
Greenpeace responded to the distress call from the Kaiko Maru on Monday. Both the Japanese whaling fleet and Sea Shepherd accused each other of responsibility for the incident. We were not there, and therefore do not know who was responsible. However, we made a statement on the situation:
"We completely condemn any violent action by anyone. Potentially endangering lives in the middle of the Southern Ocean is unacceptable."
Regarding the use of violence to achieve goals:
Greenpeace does not use violence to achieve our goals, although we sometimes have violence used against us. (Ships from the Japanese whaling fleet deliberately hit our ship last year in the Southern Ocean, in previous anti-whaling campaigns we have been shot at by whalers with guns and had one person badly injured by the Norwegian coast guard). Greenpeace remains committed to our principle of non-violence and peaceful protest.
Violence is not the answer.
Dewa Ogenki de,
Karli
Posted by: Karli Thomas at February 15, 2007 11:59 PM
Hey guys and girls,
I love sea life and I am keeping my fingers crossed for you all.
I am a ham radio and I wonder if your radio operator Neil is also active on amateur bands.It would be nice to talk.
I am a freediver as well and I see how polluted are our seas and what is going on.Pity that I cant be with you.
I am supporter of radical solutions.I appreciate your great job.You are very brave people
I am with you
Greetings to you all and take care
Andy
Tychy-South Poland
Posted by: Andrew at February 18, 2007 6:36 PM
I just found this weblog because I was trying yo think of something that might help save the whales. This is probably an old idea or perhaps it is an undoable idea but can't the whlaes be alerted that hunters are nearby by using some sort of sonar signal that they recognize means danger. If so, a Greenpeace ship could shadow the hunters ship and broadcast signals to the whales. Anyway, just an idea I had.
Ralph
Dave on the Esperanza: Interesting idea, Ralph, make sure you post it as an idea over on whales.greenpeace.org
Posted by: Ralph at February 20, 2007 4:01 AM
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