Hear This: Ship Noise Stresses Whales

Quiet oceans make for calmer right whales, new research suggests. When fewer ships sail the Bay of Fundy, the big baleen whales are less stressed — as evidenced by hormone levels in their poop.

This stress could be one reason the North Atlantic population of right whales, which spend part of their lives in the Bay of Fundy off the East Coast, is having such a hard time reproducing. If the sounds chronically stress them, they could be more prone to disease and it could possibly interfere with their ability to reproduce, the researchers say.

"We know that whales have responded to underwater noise by changing their vocalization, but we didn't know if they responded with physical changes as well," study researcher Rosalind Rolland, of the New England Aquarium in Boston, told LiveScience. "What this study has shown is that they are having a measurable physiological stress response to the noise in their environment."

Calling all whales

Right whales use their calls to communicate across long distances. They use low frequencies because they carry farther, but these are similar to the frequencies made by ocean-going ships. Previous studies have shown that noise levels can impact the whales' behaviors, including where they swim and how they vocalize. It's like trying to talk at a party — often a lot of noise will make you either speak louder or, in the worst cases, wait until later to make your point. What the researchers didn't know is how noise may be impacting the whales physically.

The researchers analyzed noise recordings from September 2001, in areas of the Bay of Fundy where the whales generally reside; they then compared them with samples of whale poop collected by researchers in 2001 through 2005. They were looking for evidence that decreased ship traffic after the tragic events of 9/11 lowered the whales' stress hormone levels.

In the two days before 9/11, nine ships passed through the Bay, but in the two days after, only three ships passed through. This led to a significant decrease in low-frequency noise in the Bay and a drop in the intensity of the noise, they found. This coincided with a drop in stress-hormone levels in the whales' fecal samples: Compared with before Sept. 11, hormone levels were significantly lower after Sept. 11 … only in 2001.

Read on:  http://www.livescience.com/18367-ship-noise-stresses-whales.html

Can We Save the Whales by Putting a Price On Them?

ScienceDaily (Jan. 11, 2012) — Every year, a group of anti-whaling nonprofit organizations that includes Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd, and the World Wildlife Fund spend, by conservative estimates, some $25 million on a variety of activities intended to end commercial whaling. And every year, commercial whaling not only continues, but grows.

Under the current, largely unregulated system, the number of whales harvested annually has doubled since the early 1990s, to about two thousand per year. Further, many populations of large whales have been severely depleted and continue to be threatened by commercial whaling.While protests, education, lobbying and dangerous confrontations on the high seas have saved some whales, the whaling industry shows no sign of shutting down -- or slowing down.Now, an economist and two marine scientists writing in the January 12 issue of the journal Nature suggest a new strategy that they believe could save whales by putting a price on them.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111133948.htm

Migrating whale numbers hit 50-year high

There has been a rise in the number of migrating whales. They travel on a 5,000km (3,100 miles) round trip to give birth off the coast of Australia before heading back to Antarctica to their main feeding grounds.

It is the highest number seen in half a century.

Duncan Kennedy reports from Sydney.

Watch video here ...

Scientists unearthing major whale fossil hoard in Chile

Scientists are in the process of excavating a desert fossil bed in Chile containing dozens of whole skeletons of ancient whales dating back seven million years.

One of the researchers said 15 whales were found in 15 days, far exceeding expectations.

Carolina Robino reports.

Watch video here ...

'Largest' Fin whale gathering spotted in British waters

Fin whales seen by scientists 'lunge-feeding' near the
surface of the water

7 June 2011

Scientists have described whale sightings off the Cornish coast as one of the "largest gatherings" of the species ever seen in British waters.

Researchers spotted 21 fin whales 50 to 70 miles offshore, feeding near the surface over 30 minutes.

The fin whale, the second largest animal on the planet, is a globally endangered species.

Dr Tom Brereton, research director from Marinelife, said it was an "incredibly rare event".

The species were seen in an area known as the Celtic Deep, between north Cornwall and south west Pembrokeshire, on 21 May while researchers were on a three-week cruise in the area surveying numbers of schooling fish such as sardines.

The survey is due to finish on Thursday.

'Top predators'

Dr Brereton said: "It is very unusual to see those numbers, historically it's never occurred in that area.

"In the last 10 years there's been one or two sightings that have cropped up off the coast of Wales and Cornwall which has been quite big news, but to see 20 more or less together in one small area is really fantastic."

Fin whales are usually found in large numbers in the Bay of Biscay, but their presence in British waters is a relatively new discovery.

Experts on the ship suggested that the whales may have been chasing a dense crowd of krill into the area.

Dr Colin MacLeod, Marinelife's chief scientific adviser, said the sighting could be part of a wider movement of sea creatures around Britain's coast as a result of climate change.

"These changes indicate the extent to which climate change is affecting our marine animals.

"If it is affecting these top predators to such an extent, it is likely that it is also affecting other marine life further down the food chain, including species which are commercially important for the fishing industry," he said.

Marinelife is a charity working to study and maintain numbers of whales, dolphins and seabirds around the British coast.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-13680731
(Submitted by Liz R)

Beached 44ft whale dies on Redcar beach

The mammal died despite hopes it would survive until the tide went out

31 May 2011

A 44ft (13m) long whale has died three hours after becoming stranded on a beach on Teesside.

Police alerted the RNLI after spotting the 20 tonne stricken mammal on Redcar Beach, just after 0620 BST.

A rescue bid started which involved trying to keep the adult sperm whale wet until high tide but it died.

Richard Ilderton, of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said the North Sea was not a suitable environment for such a large creature.

RSPCA officers were involved in the rescue attempt, along with those from the Coastguard and Cleveland Fire Brigade, while RSPCA vets assessed the mammal's condition.

An RNLI spokesman said: "We don't know the reasons but usually when they get to this situation the conclusion is that they don't survive.

"A post mortem will be carried out on the whale and then it will be up to the local council to dispose of it."

'Becomes malnourished'

Crowds went to the beach to see the whale.

Redcar and Cleveland Council said cordons had been put up around the whale, which is due to remain on the beach overnight, watched by security guards.

Mr Ilderton said: "While we have whales in the North Sea, it is not a suitable environment for a sperm whale because the food supply is not there.

"It doesn't eat, it becomes malnourished, it becomes dehydrated because whales do not drink - they get their liquid from their food.

"It can cause all sorts of health problems and ultimately results in something like this happening."

He said the whale's death might actually have been the best outcome.

"If we were able to put the animal back out to sea, all we would be doing is putting it back out to starve, which is massively cruel and against what we want to do," he said.

Robbie Marsland, UK Director of International Fund for Animal Welfare, said whales stranded for a variety of reasons.

He said: "While it is not possible to pinpoint the cause in every case, we do know that human activity in the seas is increasing the threats to these highly intelligent and complex marine mammals.

"Manmade ocean noise, from shipping, oil and gas excavation and naval sonar, makes it ever harder for whales to navigate, communicate, find food or mates and avoid prey."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-13601654
(Submitted by Liz R)

Mystery Mersey ‘monster’ baffles marine life experts

by Laura Jones, Liverpool Echo
May 25 2011

A MYSTERY sea creature spotted in the Mersey has experts baffled.

The “monster” was snapped off Seacombe Ferry at 9am yesterday by photographer Mark Harrison.

Paul Renolds, from the Blue Planet Aquarium, who studied the photos, said: “It is virtually impossible to actually identify, but this is the time of year when large numbers of basking sharks, the second largest shark species in the world after whale sharks, head towards waters off the Isle of Man.”

He added: “If it is not a basking shark, it could be a smaller species of whale or a dolphin because there are around 23 different species in UK waters.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/05/25/mystery-mersey-monster-baffles-marine-life-experts-100252-28758710

Pilot whales leave Loch Carnan following death

22 May 2011

A pod of more than 60 pilot whales, at risk of beaching, has again left a Hebridean loch after one of them died.

The animals had left the shallow waters of Loch Carnan in South Uist on Saturday, however returned during the night when the beaching took place.

A post-mortem examination suggested the young female died from a disease, not because it was stranded on rocks.

Marine experts said the rest of the pod had now left the loch and appeared to be heading south.

Dr Andrew Brownlow, who carried out the autopsy, said the whale showed signs of having suffered a serious disease and its injuries were not bad enough to have killed it.

That could indicate that head injuries suffered by a number of other members of the group are not life-threatening.

Rescue teams have been searching the islands and inlets of the loch but have not found any other whale carcasses.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue team has now been forced to withdraw due to worsening weather conditions.

The team is planning to leave South Uist on Monday but will leave behind essential kit, in case the whales are seen close to the shores of the island over the next few days.

The whales were first spotted around Loch Carnan on Thursday, sparking fears that they would perish in a mass stranding.

There had been concerns after about 20 of the pod were spotted with head injuries, thought to have been sustained while in the shallow water.

The Scottish government lent rescuers a fisheries protection boat to follow the animals' movements.

Alisdair Jack, Scottish National Organiser of the BDMLR, said: "The reasons why whales beach themselves is not known, however illness can be a factor.

"We are hopeful that the remaining members of this pod have now left the vicinity and moved out to sea.

"The support provided by the Scottish government, and by the MPV Hirta in particular, have been very much appreciated by the BDMLR."

'Greater tragedy'

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "I am pleased to hear that the pod has left the loch and hope they remain in deeper waters.

"The loss of life is very unfortunate but a number of teams working together in South Uist have ensured that a greater tragedy has been averted.

"Given the death of one whale, and clear injuries to a number of other animals, the MPV Hirta will continue to search for the pod and provide monitoring assistance."

At the end of October last year, some pilot whales almost got stranded in the same sea loch. Less than a week later, 33 whales, believed to be the same group, were found dead on a beach in County Donegal in the Irish Republic.

Pilot whales prefer deep water but come inshore to feed on squid, their main food.

Last week a pilot whale died on Sunday morning after getting stuck in the Sullom Voe inlet in Shetland. An autopsy was carried out on the animal to try to establish why it died but the results are not yet known.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13488302

Fear for mass stranding of whales on South Uist

20 May 2011

Marine animal experts are preparing for a potential mass stranding by up to 100 pilot whales in South Uist in the Western Isles.

The whales were spotted in Loch Carnan on Thursday afternoon and about 20 were said to have had cuts to their heads.

It is thought the injuries may have been caused by the whales' attempts to strand themselves on the rocky foreshore of the sea loch.

Sick and injured whales are known to beach themselves to die.

However, at times, dying whales have been followed to shore by healthy animals.

Conservationists have also suggested the whales may have got lost, or entered the loch following prey.

Rescuers said inflatable pontoons for refloating whales were on the way.

The pod had been moving back and forth from the shore and rescuers said the animals were "very vocal", which may be a sign of distress.

The whales, a deep water species, have since moved from the loch back to a nearby bay, where they were seen earlier on Thursday.

Members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) fear the whales could die in a massive beaching - which could be Scotland's largest stranding.

BDMLR Scottish organiser Alasdair Jack said preventing the mammals from stranding would cause unnecessary suffering and the animals would only move on to another shoreline.

He said: "Rather than try to stop them coming ashore, we would let them come ashore and then try to deal with that situation when it arose.

"We have got several sets of pontoons with us, which is our whale refloatation equipment, and we have got more on the way.

"We have currently got 12 sets congregating on the Uists, which is basically every set in the UK."

He added: "We are going to let them play out whatever role they want to do and take it as it comes."

Scottish SPCA senior inspector Calum Watt said the whales' strong social bonds meant healthy animals within a pod would follow sick and injured ones on to shore.

He added: "At this stage we remain hopeful they will not strand themselves but our concern is the injured whales will come onshore and be followed by the rest of the pod.

"Attempting to refloat so many whales would be a huge task and if they do become stranded we'll need to decide upon the best course of action.

"The largest number of whales we've tried to refloat before was seven, which was in 1993. Unfortunately all seven returned to the shore and died."

Wildlife tour operator Steve Duffield, who has photographed the pod, said it was unusual to see pilot whales so close to shore.

He said: "It is a deep water species and occurs in the Minch and Sea of Hebrides, but is very rarely seen in coastal lochs.

"To see the whales so close to the coast is exceptional."

Sarah Dolman, of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), said it was hoped the species would make their way back to deep water.

She said: "This group of animals may have got lost, or they may have come in following some prey.

"I hope we won't find out by them coming ashore and it will remain one of those unsolved mysteries."

In October a pod of pilot whales were in danger in the same sea loch.

Days later, 33 whales, thought to be the same group, were discovered dead on a beach in County Donegal.

Mr Watt, of the Scottish SPCA, said: "It is incredible that a second pod, this time probably more than twice the size, has arrived in the same area."

"There is no reason we know of why they would have come to the same location."

Pilot whales can grow up to about 20ft (6.1m) and are among the most common marine mammals.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13466462
(Submitted by Liz R)

Beaked whales 'scared' by navy sonar

Monday, 14 March 2011
By Ella Davies
Earth News reporter

Beaked whales are disturbed by naval sonar, according to scientists.

A new study suggests that the whales are particularly sensitive to unusual sounds.

Measuring their reactions to both simulated sonar calls and during actual naval exercises, researchers found the whales fell silent and moved away from the loud noises.

The use of sonar for naval communication has been linked to beaked whales stranding in the past.

Scientists from the University of St Andrews, Scotland have been working with marine experts from around the world to investigate how sonar affects beaked whales in the Bahamas.

Beaked whales are an elusive group of small whales named for their elongated snouts.

However, they are probably best known for their connection to the possible risks that naval sonar poses to marine mammals.

For example, in 2000 and 2002, large groups of beaked whales stranded and died.

Naval exercises involving sonar communication were taking place nearby on both occasions, raising concerns that the whales' deaths were directly linked to the mid-frequency signals.

In their study, published in the journal PLoS One, researchers focussed on waters around the US Navy's Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center.

Blainville's beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) have been identified foraging in the area by the navy's acoustic monitoring equipment, used for listening to signals from submarines.

The scientists listened to the group of whales using these hydrophones - underwater microphones.

During live sonar exercises by the US Navy, the whales stopped making their clicking and buzzing calls, which they are thought to use to navigate and communicate.

"Results... indicate that the animals prematurely stop vocalisations during a deep foraging dive when exposed to sonar. They then ascend slowly and move away from the source, but they do resume foraging dives once they are farther away," said David Moretti, Principal Investigator for the US Navy.

Using tags attached to the whales, the team was also able to track their movements with satellites.

They found that the whales moved up to 16km away from the area during sonar tests and did not return for three days.

"It was clear that these whales moved quickly out of the way of the [navy] sonars. We now think that, in some unusual circumstances, they are just unable to get out of the way and this ends up with the animals stranding and dying," said Professor Ian Boyd, chief scientist on the research project.

To further understand the whales' behaviour, the team also played simulated sonar calls to the whales, including the calls of killer whales.

The beaked whales showed the same avoidance behaviour in response to these calls.

"It appears that they just don't like unusual sounds. But the way in which sonars are used to hunt for submarines may mean that the whales are more vulnerable to that type of sound," said Prof Boyd.

They are known to emit high-frequency calls but this is the first time anyone has proven that they react to mid-frequency sounds.

"We showed that the animals reacted to the sonar sound at much lower levels than had previously been assumed to be the case," said Prof Boyd.

"Perhaps the most significant result from our experiments is the extreme sensitivity of these animals to disturbance."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9424000/9424166.stm
(Submitted by Liz R and Dawn Holloway)

Orca sighting unnerves triathlete

Close encounter in Oriental Bay
KIRAN CHUG
Last updated 05:00 09/03/2011

Triathlete Nicole Walker has always felt uneasy swimming in the ocean, but it was a close encounter with an orca at Oriental Bay that really left her shaking.

Miss Walker was on a training swim about 5pm on Monday, about 80 metres from shore, when she looked down into the water after taking a breath.

"It was just looking up at me, a big black and white face. I could have touched it."

She believes the orca was a calf, and though she "freaked out" and tried to swim as fast as she could for the shore, Miss Walker thinks the whale's head was about 80cm wide.

"It was swimming belly up underneath me. I couldn't believe my eyes."

Though she was swimming as fast as she could, seconds later she saw the orca swimming beneath her again. She was afraid it might come up underneath her "and either grab hold of me or hit me with its tail, and that would be the end of me".

Miss Walker said she was relieved it was an orca beneath her and not a shark, but was scared something might be chasing it.

Still about 40m or 50m from shore, Miss Walker – who was wearing a wetsuit – said she began to panic and look around her.

A group of people had been rowing in the bay, and a man on a rowing coaching boat with a small outboard motor had spotted Miss Walker's frantic swim and gone towards her.

She caught on to the side of the boat and he took her to shore – where she got out of the water shaken but very relieved.

Yesterday, Miss Walker said she was sure the orca had just been curious and wanted to play, but at the time that did not prevent her from panicking.

On shore, she saw a crowd of people had gathered as they could see a mother orca and possibly three calves in the bay.

Though Miss Walker had always felt a little uneasy swimming in the ocean, she had previously felt a bit more comfortable swimming in Wellington because she was in a bay.

However, now she was safely back on dry land she was not letting the experience interrupt training, and planning to get back out into the water tonight.

Conservation Department biodiversity programme manager Peter Simpson said there had been other reports of orca sightings in Wellington Harbour on Monday. The first was about 1pm from a person at the heads who saw the pod coming in.

Orca did come into the harbour occasionally, but why was unknown. They could be following food, or simply curious.
Ad Feedback Click here to find out more!

DOC asks anyone who spots marine mammals to report the sightings to 0800362468 (DOC hotline), or by filling out a form on its website.

Orca, though confusingly known as killer whales, are actually dolphins.

They eat other marine mammals and fish.

- The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4745818/Orca-sighting-unnerves-triathlete

Huge sperm whale washes up on Kent beach

3 March 2011 Last updated at 21:48

A 45ft (13.7m) sperm whale has died after becoming stranded on a beach in Kent.

Coastguards were alerted to the beached whale at Pegwell Bay, between Ramsgate and Sandwich, at about 0730 GMT.

Claudia Sermbezis reports.

Read More

Whale dies stranded on Kent beach

See video at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12642695
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)

1,607 whales sighted

February 28, 2011

MAALAEA - Volunteers and researchers on Maui tallied 1,607 sightings of humpback whales Saturday, a 33 percent increase from last year, the Pacific Whale Foundation reported.

Last year's total was 1,208 humpbacks. There were 12 counting stations in the Great Maui Whale Count.

Greg Kaufman, founder and president of PWF, which organized the count, said the sighting conditions were "fantastic," with calm seas and light winds.

"Because we have conducted the count systematically at the same time each year, it provides a valuable look at Hawaii's winter whale population. In general, we are seeing evidence of a growing number of whale sightings in recent years," Kaufman said in a news release.

He said the increase in sightings correlates to research that shows the humpback whale population in the North Pacific increasing at a rate of 7 percent or 8 percent each year.

An estimated 20,000 humpback whales live in the North Pacific, and about 60 percent of that population is believed to come to Hawaii each year to mate, give birth and care for their young, a release said.

The counting stations were positioned along Maui's south and western shores, in an area extending from Makena to Kapalua. There also was a station at Hookipa Beach Park on Maui's north shore.

Last year's count took place a week later than usual because of a tsunami warning on the originally scheduled day. In 2009, 1,010 whale sightings were recorded. In 2008, 1,726 were tallied on a day with ideal conditions such as Saturday's.

Of Saturday's sightings, 154 were calves, compared to 149 sighted last year.

Puu Olai in Makena recorded the most whale sightings with 311 during the counting window, which was open from 8:30 to 11:55 a.m.

The count was conducted by 100 volunteers who worked alongside Pacific Whale Foundation researchers and staff and was done along lookout posts from the shorelines.

The count is part of the Maui Whale Festival, a series of whale-related events taking place from November through mid-May.

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/546648/1-607-whales-sighted.html?nav=10

Underwater whale rescue filmed in Mexico

10 February 2011

A team of Mexican divers has freed a humpback whale that had become trapped in fishing nets.

One of the divers filmed the rescue with an underwater camera.

Jack Lamport reports.

See video at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12416523

Whale Activist Vows To Fast Till Death

by brightpathvideo
Tuesday Jan 18th, 2011 3:17 PM

Tom Falvey is a friend of mine. We go way back to Greenpeace days. Tom is determined to hold onto this life threatening fast until Japan ends its hostile aggression against both the whales in the arctic seas (Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary) and against the brave Sea Shepherd crew desperately trying to protect the whales.

Please help him by writing letters to the Secretary of State and Embassy of Japan. Addresses below.

Hunger Strike Against Aggression

Japan has sent its whaling fleet to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in defiance of international law. It has also sent armed cost guard personnel with them in response to nonviolent activists upholding the law. Japan has not stated its intentions. The fact remains that it has deployed the capability to forcibly board or disable the activists' ships. The threat of deadly force in support of an illegal enterprise constitutes armed aggression.

I will fast until death unless Japan renounces the use of force against those defending the integrity of the Sanctuary.

If Japan does so I will gladly end my fast. If it refuses then it will be clear that Japan intends to physically subdue them. In that case the world community will be forewarned and have a duty to prevent such violence.

I want to live. But some things are worth dying for. If necessary I will join the countless individuals who have given their lives for two fundamental principles:

• The rule of law must prevail, and
• Armed aggression on the high seas is unacceptable

The Japanese whaling fleet pretends to be conducting scientific research in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, off Antarctica. The International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) scientific committee has rejected this cynical subterfuge several times. In 2007 the full IWC formally asked Japan to stop its lethal research (Resolution 2007-1). Japan has said no.

For the 2010/11 season Japan has unilaterally decided to take 935 Minke, 50 Fin and 50 Humpback whales, in an “objection” to IWC rules. A dead whale is worth about $200,000 on the meat market. This is actually a commercial operation; an industrial scale slaughter for profit.

This year Japan has also sent armed coast guard personnel with its fleet. This is in response to nonviolent activists defending the integrity of the Sanctuary. Japan has not stated its intentions. The fact remains that it has mobilized the capability to forcibly board or disable the activists’ ships. Obviously such tactics would put human life at risk.

The possible use of armed force to suppress opposition in a protected conservation zone takes the whaling issue to a new level. This is no longer simply about the whales. It challenges the very concept of international law. Can one nation violently impose its will on the global commons in defiance of the recognized regulatory body (IWC)?

There are good reasons for the Sanctuary’s existence. Antarctica itself is a desolate ice sheet. The cold nutrient rich ocean surrounding it is spectacularly alive. Whales are its dominant life form. Yet most whale species have been hunted to the brink of extinction. Now Japan is going after the last and smallest survivors.

This issue also has an ethical dimension. All whales have bigger brains than ours, and some seem to be as complex. We cannot prejudge beings so high on the evolutionary scale as mere natural resources. Real scientists would wait to determine the truth about their intelligence before butchering them for food.

Another ethical aspect is whaling’s extreme cruelty. An exploding harpoon rarely kills outright. The wounded whale is winched to the killer ship’s side, stuck with a probe and electrocuted with thousands of volts. It often takes 15-20 minutes for the whale to finally drown. Such prolonged agony would not be tolerated in any slaughterhouse.

Few people care about the ecology of the remote Southern Ocean. Or the possibility of advanced consciousness in marine mammals. People do care about a stable world order governed by the rule of law.

In this case, Japan has explicitly stated that it is exempt from the rule of law. It claims the right to exploit the oceanic commons as it sees fit, regardless of others’ interests. Its military presence implies a right to physically subdue anyone who stands in its way. That is a breathtaking assertion of jurisdiction over the Southern Ocean, 6000 miles from Japan.

The United States, with many other nations, has long voiced opposition to Japan’s illegal whaling. However, it has tolerated some state sponsored poaching in the Sanctuary because Japan is a major creditor that finances much of our deficit. Now its military deployment presents a direct challenge. It cannot be evaded. The threat of deadly force in support of a criminal enterprise constitutes armed aggression on the high seas.

The world community must act to ensure that Japan renounces the use of force against those who are upholding international law. The real stakes here are far higher than those of power and pride. If Japan gets away with this then it kills any hope for effective ocean conservation. It, then others, will just grab what they want. The degradation of a vital planetary ecosystem will accelerate. We will all pay a heavy price. Is the world so intimidated by Japan’s economic clout that it will allow this to happen?

Japan is unique but not privileged. It cannot make its own rules and enforce them by violence. The oceans are not Japan’s for the taking.

Current Situation – January 17, 2011

The Sea Shepherd activists are now with the whalers' supply ship. They will block any attempt at refueling. That means the whalers would have to return home at least a month early, thus saving hundreds of whales. During this process the Sea Shepherd ships will be essentially immobile and thus vulnerable to whatever action the armed coast guard personnel may have planned. This moment of truth could come at any time.

World governments have a duty to ensure that Japan does not resort to force. Failure to act means they would share responsibility for any injuries or deaths that may occur.


To express your concern please contact:

Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki
Embassy of Japan
2520 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20008-2869
Tel: (202) 238-6700
Fax: (202) 328-2187
Email: jicc [at] ws.mofa.go.jp

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Department of State
2201 C St, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: (202) 647-9572
Fax: (202) 647-1579
Email: colemancl [at] state.gov (her personal assistant)

Or the appropriate officials in your country.


About Tom Falvey

Tom Falvey, 61, is an environmentalist and writer in San Diego, CA. He is not affiliated with any organization. He does not represent the Sea Shepherd activists. This is a personal statement of conscience.

You can contact Tom Falvey at:

Tel: (619) 618-5713
Email: tefalvey [at] gmail.com


About this Hunger Strike

I began this hunger strike at noon on December 28, 2010.

The credibility of this protest depends on its sincerity. I will only drink water during this fast. If I fall unconscious, or into a coma, I refuse any feeding, even if death is imminent. If I develop any medical condition as a consequence, even a life threatening one, I refuse all treatment.

The only condition under which I will accept feeding or medical intervention is if Japan renounces the use of force against nonviolent activists upholding the integrity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
http://tomfalvey.blogspot.com/


http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/01/18/18669504.php

Whale Activist Vows To Fast Till Death

by brightpathvideo
Tuesday Jan 18th, 2011 3:17 PM

Tom Falvey is a friend of mine. We go way back to Greenpeace days. Tom is determined to hold onto this life threatening fast until Japan ends its hostile aggression against both the whales in the arctic seas (Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary) and against the brave Sea Shepherd crew desperately trying to protect the whales.

Please help him by writing letters to the Secretary of State and Embassy of Japan. Addresses below.

Hunger Strike Against Aggression

Japan has sent its whaling fleet to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in defiance of international law. It has also sent armed cost guard personnel with them in response to nonviolent activists upholding the law. Japan has not stated its intentions. The fact remains that it has deployed the capability to forcibly board or disable the activists' ships. The threat of deadly force in support of an illegal enterprise constitutes armed aggression.

I will fast until death unless Japan renounces the use of force against those defending the integrity of the Sanctuary.

If Japan does so I will gladly end my fast. If it refuses then it will be clear that Japan intends to physically subdue them. In that case the world community will be forewarned and have a duty to prevent such violence.

I want to live. But some things are worth dying for. If necessary I will join the countless individuals who have given their lives for two fundamental principles:

• The rule of law must prevail, and
• Armed aggression on the high seas is unacceptable

The Japanese whaling fleet pretends to be conducting scientific research in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, off Antarctica. The International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) scientific committee has rejected this cynical subterfuge several times. In 2007 the full IWC formally asked Japan to stop its lethal research (Resolution 2007-1). Japan has said no.

For the 2010/11 season Japan has unilaterally decided to take 935 Minke, 50 Fin and 50 Humpback whales, in an “objection” to IWC rules. A dead whale is worth about $200,000 on the meat market. This is actually a commercial operation; an industrial scale slaughter for profit.

This year Japan has also sent armed coast guard personnel with its fleet. This is in response to nonviolent activists defending the integrity of the Sanctuary. Japan has not stated its intentions. The fact remains that it has mobilized the capability to forcibly board or disable the activists’ ships. Obviously such tactics would put human life at risk.

The possible use of armed force to suppress opposition in a protected conservation zone takes the whaling issue to a new level. This is no longer simply about the whales. It challenges the very concept of international law. Can one nation violently impose its will on the global commons in defiance of the recognized regulatory body (IWC)?

There are good reasons for the Sanctuary’s existence. Antarctica itself is a desolate ice sheet. The cold nutrient rich ocean surrounding it is spectacularly alive. Whales are its dominant life form. Yet most whale species have been hunted to the brink of extinction. Now Japan is going after the last and smallest survivors.

This issue also has an ethical dimension. All whales have bigger brains than ours, and some seem to be as complex. We cannot prejudge beings so high on the evolutionary scale as mere natural resources. Real scientists would wait to determine the truth about their intelligence before butchering them for food.

Another ethical aspect is whaling’s extreme cruelty. An exploding harpoon rarely kills outright. The wounded whale is winched to the killer ship’s side, stuck with a probe and electrocuted with thousands of volts. It often takes 15-20 minutes for the whale to finally drown. Such prolonged agony would not be tolerated in any slaughterhouse.

Few people care about the ecology of the remote Southern Ocean. Or the possibility of advanced consciousness in marine mammals. People do care about a stable world order governed by the rule of law.

In this case, Japan has explicitly stated that it is exempt from the rule of law. It claims the right to exploit the oceanic commons as it sees fit, regardless of others’ interests. Its military presence implies a right to physically subdue anyone who stands in its way. That is a breathtaking assertion of jurisdiction over the Southern Ocean, 6000 miles from Japan.

The United States, with many other nations, has long voiced opposition to Japan’s illegal whaling. However, it has tolerated some state sponsored poaching in the Sanctuary because Japan is a major creditor that finances much of our deficit. Now its military deployment presents a direct challenge. It cannot be evaded. The threat of deadly force in support of a criminal enterprise constitutes armed aggression on the high seas.

The world community must act to ensure that Japan renounces the use of force against those who are upholding international law. The real stakes here are far higher than those of power and pride. If Japan gets away with this then it kills any hope for effective ocean conservation. It, then others, will just grab what they want. The degradation of a vital planetary ecosystem will accelerate. We will all pay a heavy price. Is the world so intimidated by Japan’s economic clout that it will allow this to happen?

Japan is unique but not privileged. It cannot make its own rules and enforce them by violence. The oceans are not Japan’s for the taking.

Current Situation – January 17, 2011

The Sea Shepherd activists are now with the whalers' supply ship. They will block any attempt at refueling. That means the whalers would have to return home at least a month early, thus saving hundreds of whales. During this process the Sea Shepherd ships will be essentially immobile and thus vulnerable to whatever action the armed coast guard personnel may have planned. This moment of truth could come at any time.

World governments have a duty to ensure that Japan does not resort to force. Failure to act means they would share responsibility for any injuries or deaths that may occur.


To express your concern please contact:

Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki
Embassy of Japan
2520 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20008-2869
Tel: (202) 238-6700
Fax: (202) 328-2187
Email: jicc [at] ws.mofa.go.jp

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Department of State
2201 C St, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: (202) 647-9572
Fax: (202) 647-1579
Email: colemancl [at] state.gov (her personal assistant)

Or the appropriate officials in your country.


About Tom Falvey

Tom Falvey, 61, is an environmentalist and writer in San Diego, CA. He is not affiliated with any organization. He does not represent the Sea Shepherd activists. This is a personal statement of conscience.

You can contact Tom Falvey at:

Tel: (619) 618-5713
Email: tefalvey [at] gmail.com


About this Hunger Strike

I began this hunger strike at noon on December 28, 2010.

The credibility of this protest depends on its sincerity. I will only drink water during this fast. If I fall unconscious, or into a coma, I refuse any feeding, even if death is imminent. If I develop any medical condition as a consequence, even a life threatening one, I refuse all treatment.

The only condition under which I will accept feeding or medical intervention is if Japan renounces the use of force against nonviolent activists upholding the integrity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
http://tomfalvey.blogspot.com/


http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/01/18/18669504.php

Russia's oil ambitions off Sakhalin Island could extinct whale species

Katharine Helmore
18th January 2011

The Western North Pacific gray whale is under threat of extinction, say WWF, as Russian plans a third oil platform off Sakhalin Island to meet rising demands from Asia

A Russian oil giant's plans to expand oil production in far eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean threaten the dwindling population of endangered western gray whales, say WWF.

Environmentalists fear the construction of a new oil platform off Sakhalin Island by the majority-state owned Sakhalin Energy Company could wipe out the remaining 130 western gray whales.

The shallow waters off Russia's largest island provide a vital feeding ground for the endangered species, which migrate there each summer. Gray whales exist on both sides of the Pacific, but the Eastern population are not thought to mix with the endangered Western species found off Sakhalin Island.

The oil rich seabed off the island, holding an estimated 14 billion barrels of oil deposits, has been widely exploited in recent years to supply China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand with oil and gas. Although oil exports have boosted the local economy it has been at the cost of marine life. More shipping traffic will only contribute further risk to an already threatened species and a higher chance of a potentially devastating oil spill.

'There are only 30 female western gray whales of breeding age remaining and the population is already on the brink of disappearing forever,' said Aleksey Knizhnikov, from WWF-Russia. 'The loss of even a few breeding whales could mean the end for the population.'

Sakhalin Energy has previously been praised by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for postponing a summer scheduled seismic survey, something the company duly boasted of on its website. However following a meeting in early December 2010, WWF learnt that the Sakhalin Energy Company, part-owned by Shell, plans to go ahead with a survey this summer to find a suitable site for the third platform.

Summer surveys disrupt the feeding patterns of whales but are favoured by oil companies as they try to avoid the harsh Russian winters.

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/734741/russias_oil_ambitions_off_sakhalin_island_could_extinct_whale_species.html

Russia's oil ambitions off Sakhalin Island could extinct whale species

Katharine Helmore
18th January 2011

The Western North Pacific gray whale is under threat of extinction, say WWF, as Russian plans a third oil platform off Sakhalin Island to meet rising demands from Asia

A Russian oil giant's plans to expand oil production in far eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean threaten the dwindling population of endangered western gray whales, say WWF.

Environmentalists fear the construction of a new oil platform off Sakhalin Island by the majority-state owned Sakhalin Energy Company could wipe out the remaining 130 western gray whales.

The shallow waters off Russia's largest island provide a vital feeding ground for the endangered species, which migrate there each summer. Gray whales exist on both sides of the Pacific, but the Eastern population are not thought to mix with the endangered Western species found off Sakhalin Island.

The oil rich seabed off the island, holding an estimated 14 billion barrels of oil deposits, has been widely exploited in recent years to supply China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand with oil and gas. Although oil exports have boosted the local economy it has been at the cost of marine life. More shipping traffic will only contribute further risk to an already threatened species and a higher chance of a potentially devastating oil spill.

'There are only 30 female western gray whales of breeding age remaining and the population is already on the brink of disappearing forever,' said Aleksey Knizhnikov, from WWF-Russia. 'The loss of even a few breeding whales could mean the end for the population.'

Sakhalin Energy has previously been praised by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for postponing a summer scheduled seismic survey, something the company duly boasted of on its website. However following a meeting in early December 2010, WWF learnt that the Sakhalin Energy Company, part-owned by Shell, plans to go ahead with a survey this summer to find a suitable site for the third platform.

Summer surveys disrupt the feeding patterns of whales but are favoured by oil companies as they try to avoid the harsh Russian winters.

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/734741/russias_oil_ambitions_off_sakhalin_island_could_extinct_whale_species.html

New humpback whale sighting off SE coast

Updated: 20:52, Monday, 17 January 2011

Fishermen have reported seeing a humpback whale breaching in waters a kilometre off Curracloe on the Wexford coast.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group believe this animal is almost certainly different to the humpback which was sighted several times last week off Hook Head, 50 km away.

Local reports are that it has been feeding on herring in the area since 11 January.

Fishermen this morning observed it breach on 10-12 consecutive occasions and on-shore observers say it was being accompanied by as many as 10,000 seagulls.

The IWDG says this is 'potentially another very important humpback record, as it shows that [humpbacks] may be pushing ever closer up and into the Irish Sea area. This would be the first validated winter record of a humpback whale in the Irish Sea'.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0117/humpback.html

New humpback whale sighting off SE coast

Updated: 20:52, Monday, 17 January 2011

Fishermen have reported seeing a humpback whale breaching in waters a kilometre off Curracloe on the Wexford coast.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group believe this animal is almost certainly different to the humpback which was sighted several times last week off Hook Head, 50 km away.

Local reports are that it has been feeding on herring in the area since 11 January.

Fishermen this morning observed it breach on 10-12 consecutive occasions and on-shore observers say it was being accompanied by as many as 10,000 seagulls.

The IWDG says this is 'potentially another very important humpback record, as it shows that [humpbacks] may be pushing ever closer up and into the Irish Sea area. This would be the first validated winter record of a humpback whale in the Irish Sea'.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0117/humpback.html