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Agadir, Morocco, 21st June 2010: Sir Paul McCartney has joined the global battle to save whales and the whaling ban, issuing a statement through the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).
Sir Paul said: "It's time to end the cruel slaughter of whales and leave these magnificent creatures alone. In the 21st century how can we even contemplate killing whales - or any animal - in such barbaric ways? Governments should act on their responsibilities and protect these beautiful creatures."
As the International Whaling Commission (IWC) opens its 62nd annual meeting in Agadir, Morocco today, Sir Paul and WSPA strongly condemn a proposal which would effectively lift the ban on commercial whaling and give a green light to the industrial slaughter of almost 1,400 whales next year. The deadly proposal, published by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the IWC, is expected to be voted on by the IWC's 88 member nations this week.
WSPA New Zealand's Country Manager, Bridget Vercoe said, "In a perverse attempt to save some whales, the IWC is considering signing a death warrant for almost 13,000 whales over the next 10 years. This misguided proposal would resuscitate the world's dying whaling industries and would be a huge step backwards for animal welfare and conservation globally.'
The proposal would endorse the killing of up to 760 minke and fin whales by Norway and Iceland each year in the north Atlantic. Contrary to claims by proponents, it would realise no significant overall reduction in the number of whales killed, at the cost of legitimising an inherently and unacceptably inhumane industry.
Bridget continued: "Our recent footage of a Norwegian whale hunt shows the cruel realities of commercial whaling - using exploding harpoons to blast holes in fully conscious animals is not something any civilised society should consider endorsing. All eyes are on Agadir as the plan to legalise this cruelty to animals is discussed."
WSPA and other members of the Whalewatch network will be working hard to lobby governments to derail this dangerous deal, and instead encourage a healthy focus on the IWC's future as a body to manage whale conservation and whale watching.
Sir Paul concluded: "The best future for our relationship with whales is watching, not hunting."
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Comments
Stick to singing, Paul. Your
Stick to singing, Paul.
Your emotive and arbitrary approach to animals rights is nauseating.
Maybe you should stick to
Maybe you should stick to doing whatever you do for a living, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, since that comment was offensive and did nothing to help a campaign you so obviously support....
The resumption of whaling
The resumption of whaling would be a victory for Japan and other countries that have been illegally whaling for years. Sir Paul is right it is barbaric and whales face enough human created problems let alone being blasted to die a long agonizing and immensely inhumane death.
how can anyone say that Paul
how can anyone say that Paul McCartney should stick to his day job!!! He has a love for animals just like the good few people on this earth - maybe you should take a lesson out of his book! How can you not sympathise with him and his comments - do you not watch the scenes on tv of these poor defenseless animals being slaughter
ed?? Do you get some joy out of it!??? Animals feel pain too you know ... im sure if someone in your family was ill or dying you would sit up and take action - why not also consider the animals that we share this earth with!!!??
RANT OVER!
I'm with Serena and Clare
I'm with Serena and Clare and probably the vast majority of right minded land based mammals on this worn own planet. Sir Paul does sing . . for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone . . . and thankfully he's in a position to highlight a matter people might otherwise not be fully aware of.
I struggle to think how such large but defenceless wonders can even be the subject of a so called 'conference' to decides their fate? and they're actually being paid / bribed to attend a week or whatever it is. It's just crazy. There should be an absolute ban with no loopholes and it should be enforced if necessary. Anyone who thinks whales are still ripe for slaughter need to be harpooned themselves.
So what makes whale
So what makes whale different than other animals that humans hunt?
Hideyoshi Toyotomi -seen
Hideyoshi Toyotomi -seen your comments re whales on NZ herald re whaling, regarding their intelligence etc..strongly suggest you look at your own or lack of it tbh ...japanese whalers arent welcome here and neither are you mate!
have some compassion for sentient creatures..or is it ok i come slaughter your family and kids and put the meat up for sale??
scientific research what a f***** joke..who are you japs trying to kid...hope you eat alot of the mercury laden whale meat man so you hasten the raising of the IQ level of the world.
Typical anti-whaler ad
Typical anti-whaler ad hominem attack with a complete lack of facts.
Enough said.
sanity has prevailed the
sanity has prevailed the japs have tried to bribe the poor countries and failed to get there way...now wheres the funds for a few subs to sink the B******* when they come down here again!
we need more real men like pete bethune!!!
You must have missed the
You must have missed the memo. The Sea Shepherds are non-violent, Paul Watson says so.
Yes the Japanese didn't get the compromise. They will just have to live with their current quota of 1050 whales instead of the 420 from the proposal. I guess they will just have to live with killing an extra 630 whales. I am sure they are crying about that.
I repeat my previous
I repeat my previous comments... what right does anyone have to get paid to sit around (in some degree of luxury) and decide the fate of a quota of sea mammals, species whose variety and numbers are already diminished as a result of historical practices?. I guess, to some degree forgiveness might be offered to anyone who doesn't know any better, BUT..... us humans are so bloody clever we should be capable of learning by our own mistakes. WE NEED TO - before it's too late for our own survival. Besides being immoral, fundamentally wrong in this day & age, unnecessary, cruel etc etc. . . . if another similar animal (to us) targeted our own vulnerable and defenceless, to slaughter them . . . to eat them . . . I'll stop there, because I know you cannot answer. The only choice now is a) open your eyes . . . or b) fall on your own harpoon! Hari Khrisna. . . . Mr & Mrs Whale
You are not repeating
You are not repeating anything because you have made no previous comments. Might want to get those memory and identity issues checked out by a doctor.
Actually the latest research shows that Minke whale numbers have remained relatively constant over the past few centuries. Not surprising since historic practice was NOT to hunt Minke whales.
We did learn from our mistakes. They have developed a scientific based quota system to ensure that the number taken each year won't cause a decrease in species population. See how smart humans are?
"Besides being immoral, fundamentally wrong in this day & age, unnecessary, cruel etc etc..." That is your opinion. Many people have different opinions. Oh I know you are more enlightened than most people and your opinions should carry more weight. But that is just more of your mental issues peeking through. Be sure and mention that to your doctor.
must be great . . . able to
must be great . . . able to type with your eyes closed . . . please be careful handling that harpoon, sharp as my wit! For my own safety I also have many disguises . . I may even be a doctor for all I know!
Besides the dinner plate in Japan thing . . you know, where we check those migration patterns etc. . . great news if you're a minke and all thanks to 'our' quota system . . . we're so smart . . . another opinion may be to ask if 'scientist' have all the answers? Common sense and yes, even an opinions are perfectly valid.
A quota system allowing the sparing of minke proves one thing (besides our God-like mercy), how would all the other types fare with no quota system AND no killing?
Going back to the original article, whales need a break to be allowed to Get Back. The best intervention by us is no intervention. Dr M Inke
You really do have mental
You really do have mental problems.
Minkes don't have to Get Back to anywhere. They are at the levels they have always been.
You continue to miss the
You continue to miss the bigger point and the argument you float concerning Minke numbers are flawed. By their own admission the IWC do not know what the true populations (Minke's per-se) are. Ok, because they're not on the same scale as say, only 75 sightings of a blue whale in 20 years, the Minkes, whether Antarctic or Common may not be in immediate danger. . . but that's no reason to get excited.
The hunting and killing of sea mammals should not be type specific but species as a whole. How can we say the Minke's are ok when their cousins are close to extinction because they were merely the biggest and just got killed first? ....
The Antarctic Minke is probably only safe at this moment in time due to it's relative small size, in that commercial exploitation of them started much later than other larger varieties (early 70's) and then the (limited) ban was introduced in the 80's. The IWC however also disclose there has been an 'appreciable decline' in numbers (of Antarctic Minke) between the latest two lengthy polar surveys which provide some population data. Surveys of which also include such methods of spotting from ships in rather a large oceans. As for the Common Minke, there is no current credible survey to suggest for sure they hold a certain population.
All marine animals also have to deal with the other things we throw at them, like the environment, climate and by-catching during the fishing process. The Common Minke feature particularly in by-catches in the southern seas Yellow, East China and Japan. Over & Out
"All marine animals also
"All marine animals also have to deal with the other things we throw at them, like the environment, climate and by-catching during the fishing process." This applies to every sea creature and except for by-catch it applies to everything that lives on the planet.
Actually the IWC conducts yearly surveys of whale populations in the Antarctic and one year showed a unexplained decrease yet the following years show numbers returning to the levels that were observed before the one outlier. Unusual ice and weather conditions are believed to have biased the sampling.
The IWC doesn't claim current numbers for political not scientific reasons. Like I said they have conducted a survey every year using the same methods but for political reasons the results aren't released. People claim the Japanese research is bogus, even though there are long lists of published papers, yet the IWC has been conducting a major review for almost 30 years and can't even issue an estimate. Think maybe it is tied to the fact that by the purpose of the 10 year moratorium, that has been in place for 24 years, and the RMP that if numbers are shown to be substantial and steady that they would have no excuse to not allow commercial hunting of Minke whales?
We end up back at the top of
We end up back at the top of the page with Macca,
Here's the crux . .
We carry on thinking we own the place and every living thing included . . . because we can't think of a way to make money from a whale other than to kill it.
or we choose to live with them, them with us, watch them, them us, count them, swim with them, take photo's of them & make greetings cards.
Business opportunities waiting for someone!
Nice talking, gotta go . . .
on behalf of Mr & Mrs Whale
They are a resource like
They are a resource like lobsters, swordfish, bauxite or trees. And like many resources there are a number of ways they can be used. They can be left completely alone, they can be observed just for science, they can be observed for commercial/tour reasons, they can be collected for processing, etc. Just because you favor one of those uses over another doesn't make you correct, it doesn't give you the authority to impose you will and it doesn't prevent others for pursuing a different use than you.