Japan suspends whaling

Media reports this week suggest the Japanese government has suspended whaling in the Southern Ocean, for the first time in decades. Although it's unclear how long the suspension will last, this is one of the most promising signs we've seen in years - one which will bring hope to all Australians.

For 23 years the Japanese have hunted whales under the guise of “scientific research”, killing more than 10,000 whales in the Antarctic. Their 2011 quota had earmarked the slaughter of at least another 1000 more. But if the whaling season is indeed cut short, hundreds of whales will be spared an inhumane death.

In Canberra on Saturday 12th February, we joined the Justice for Whales rally, alongside a coalition of NGOs campaigning against whaling. The message to the Japanese and Australian Governments was clear as speakers, politicians, NGOs and families came together to show they will not stand for the cruelty of whaling.

As we await Japan's next move, it's important we keep the pressure up to stop whaling for good. We must also remember that the other whaling nations of Norway and Iceland are currently making preparations for their annual hunt, aiming to kill 1300 more whales.


Commercial whaling causes immense suffering no matter where it takes place and which species are targeted. This is an unnecessary and archaic industry that should be consigned to the history books.

We urge Japan to make this suspension permanent.


Rachel Smith, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

Japanese anti-whaling campaigner comes to Canberra

As whaling continues in our waters, opposition is growing in Japan and Australia. In Japan, this is largely due to the bravery of activist Toru Sazuki of the infamous “Tokyo Two”, who exposed corruption in the Japanese whaling industry. Toru is coming to Australia and will be the keynote speaker at the Greenpeace Justice for the Whales rally on the 12th February in Canberra. Toru will bring a unique insight into the Japanese whaling industry and the progress being made in Japan.

Representatives of the ALP, Coalition and the Greens have also been invited to speak at the rally which will call on the Australian and Japanese Governments to end whaling in the Southern Ocean Whales Sanctuary. There is more information here and on Facebook.

Rachel Smith, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

Whaling in our waters

Japanese whaling vessels have left for the Southern Ocean, where up to 935 minke and 50 fin whales will be killed this whaling season under the guise of scientific whaling. These whales will be killed in a marine sanctuary under quotas approved by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). This year the Southern Ocean area where the fleet will hunt has been doubled in size, spanning millions of square kilometres of waters to the south of Australia in addition to the area south of New Zealand. This is yet another indication of Japan’s determination to continue whaling and hinder surveillance efforts.

We know there is no need to kill a whale to understand it. This is demonstrated by the Southern Ocean Research Programme, which is gathering data humanely.

The IWC cannot decide whether to protect whales or protect whaling. It is now reflecting on how to move forward. In the meantime, Japan will continue its whaling operations in Australian waters.

Our first meeting with Tony Burke as part of a cetacean roundtable reinforced that the Australian Government will take a strong stance against whaling. We need to ensure that momentum for this position is maintained at a time where some countries are prepared to compromise and the importance of whale welfare is being overlooked.

There is no humane way to kill a whale at sea. We need the Australian Government to use its influence within the IWC to oppose any motions to bring back commercial whaling or defend scientific whaling.

Rachel Smith, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

New whaling season imminent

With a new Government in place, it's an important time for animal welfare. And with the Japanese whaling season imminent, whaling will once again take place in the Southern Ocean under the guise of scientific research.

The launch of the Japanese whaling fleet brings whaling back to the attention of the world's media. On the 5th November we saw the first worldwide Anti -Whaling Day, including peaceful protests in Australian capital cities - more info here: www.wwawd.org.

The start of the hunting season is a harsh reminder of how crucial it is that Australia maintains its strong stance against commercial and scientific whaling.

So I'm looking forward to meeting with the new Minister for the Environment Tony Burke, whose remit will cover whaling. It is so important for us to keep giving whales a voice in a climate where further compromises to whale welfare could be made. We'll be working to make sure this happens and I'll keep you updated over the coming months.

Rachel Smith, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

In it for the long haul

Having now recovered from the long trip to Morocco for the IWC meeting and had plenty of time to reflect on the outcomes it is clear, now more than ever, that the fight to protect whales is one we need to never give up on – we need to be in it for the long haul.

The 2010 IWC meeting was one of the most crucial in recent history. Thanks to everyone who gave their voice, we were able to send a strong message to all Governments present that Australians are opposed to whaling. We played our part in helping keep the moratorium on commercial whaling - a major milestone on our journey.

Give Whales a Voice showed that Australians expected the Government to be the leading voice for the protection of whales. And we weren’t disappointed. The Government stood strong against the proposal to overturn the moratorium and showcased its non-lethal research program to understand whales without killing them. This was another milestone.

But clearly we’re still a long way from achieving an end to the cruelty of whaling. And over the coming months we’ll need to reach more milestones to keep whale welfare on the agenda.

This is a fight we need to continue and we need your support for the long haul. So please help us spread the word, to record as many words as possible in support of an end to whaling.

And if you can, try to experience the beauty of these creatures for yourself over the next few months, as they travel past our coastline on a journey of their own.

Emily Reeves, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

Looking towards the next IWC

By giving whales a voice at this year’s IWC we helped to prevent the reintroduction of commercial whaling. The compromise deal that would have condemned 13,000 whales to death over the next 10 years was overturned.

Throughout the IWC meeting our message was clear - there is no humane way to kill a whale. And thanks to the support of thousands of Australians, we were able to demonstrate the strength of our opposition to whaling.

In response to our Give Whales A Voice speech, Minister Garrett spoke in support of our campaign, reinforcing the Government's opposition to whaling. In addition, the UK proposed, and will be hosting, an animal welfare workshop later this year.

But sadly our campaign to protect the world’s whales must go on. Up to 2,500 whales will be hunted again this year.

And so we will continue to Give Whales A Voice. And we will need your help to achieve an end to whaling, once and for all. You can show your support by recording your word and telling everyone you know to do the same.

More news about the campaign is to come. But for now, here is WSPA International’s Joanna Toole speaking about our work towards the next IWC.

Emily Reeves, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

Both losses and hope for the whales

The 62nd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission has come to an end. It was a meeting that presented a loss for the humpback whales, but also hope for the future inclusion of animal welfare considerations within the IWC.

Our Give Whales A Voice campaign continues and I will update you on next steps for our fight to end the cruelty of whaling. In the meantime, I want to share this video with you.

Here WSPA International's Marine Mammal Programmes Manager, Joanna Toole, reflects on this year's IWC meeting.

Emily Reeves, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.

Tragic day for humpback whales

© Bryant Austin/www.studiocosmos.com

I’ve just watched the IWC buckle under pressure from Denmark and narrowly approve a proposal for Greenland to hunt nine humpback whales a year for the next three years, supposedly for subsistence use.

Despite strong statements of opposition from many governments, acting IWC Chair Anthony Liverpool asked those in opposition not to block this proposal. The 25-strong EU block pledged their support, whilst Australia and numerous Latin American members opposed the highly controversial request.

During the plenary, Australia’s Commissioner Donna Petrachenko stated that any request for Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling must be sustainable and based on genuine needs. And it must meet the criteria for Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling.

But WSPA’s 2008 investigation ‘Exploding Myths’ showed that around a quarter of Greenland’s whaling is commercial in nature and it seems that commercial markets are only increasing.

So yet again we see the IWC trading the lives of sentient beings as if they were merely stock. Greenland last caught humpback whales in 1986 and has provided no convincing evidence of a subsistence need to start catching them again.

These gentle and charismatic humpbacks will suffer immensely when killed - all to end up on supermarket shelves or to satisfy the appetites and curiosities of tourists in luxury restaurants.

Inflicting such immense cruelty in the name of profit is simply unacceptable.

This is a sad day. The IWC is purely about politics, not whales.

Emily Reeves, WSPA

You can help to Give Whales A Voice today! Together anything is possible.