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Ocean conservations are hearing a call to action as Japanese research whaling vessels led by the Nisshan Maru, head to the North Pacific on a commercial whale hunt. The Japanese government claims they are on a mission of research, “…study their stomach contents, DNA and other information, according to the Institute of Cetacean Research “http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/japan-launches-pacific-research-whaling/story-e6frf7jo-1226073492230 . This is their 18th trip to the North Pacific Ocean, where they will indiscriminately kill one of the planets oldest, and most amazing mammals, whales. With the advent of, “Whale Wars” the entire world was able to watch the sadness and horror as the Japanese whalers slaughtered sentient beings and then packaged the meat for the supermarket. “Whale Wars” also showed the world that we do not have to back down to the Japanese Government. We do not have to stand by and watch these incredibly huge and beautiful creatures suffer at the hands of the dishonorable, Japanese whalers.

Whale Meat In A Can

During the 20th century the Japanese whalers were known to be unstoppable driving many species to the point of extinction. In 1986 the International Whaling Commission was formed and a moratorium was placed on whaling. Since that time the Japanese government has sent out whaling vessels under the auspice of research, a loop hole in the moratorium.

On March 11, 2011 a tsunami hit Japan causing devastation, and death beyond the worlds imagination. Pictures and video showing a wall of water descent upon the Otsuchi devastating everything, and everyone, in it’s path. Japan cried out for help, and the world responded with compassion, aid, and assistance.

Minke Whale Dragged By Fin Live to Pier for Slaughter

Sadly the compassion shown by the world to Japan would not be shown to whales and dolphins in 2011. The Cove Guardians, and Save Japan Dolphins would witness a brutal and tedious slaughter of 80 pilot whales on May 4-6th. On April 26th the research vessel left the ports of Kushiro and Hokkaido with a permit to harvest 60 minke whales. Today the Japanese head to the North Pacific with plans to kill 260 whales, 100 of which are minkes. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/japan-launches-pacific-research-whaling/story-e6frf7jo-1226073492230

On the advent of the upcoming IWC meeting taking place July 11-14 in the UK channel islands, ocean conservationists wonder if we will ever see an end to whaling. After last years precarious bid to remove the moratorium, “The idea to uplift the ban on commercial whaling and allow some controlled commercial whaling was wiped off the table. Of course, that is a good thing; it would be a ridiculous step back to allow commercial whaling and I assume that every normal human would see this as common sense.”(Laurens De Groot , June 23, 2010 http://www.seashepherd.org/whales/iwc-blog/).

To understand the loophole we need to start when the moratorium began, “the International Whaling Commission (IWC) finally voted in favor of a moratorium on commercial whaling to go into force in 1986 (25-7-5). Japan objected to the moratorium and continued whaling (Under the ICRW an objecting nation is exempted from the disputed regulations. Japan also continued to hunt sperm whales despite a 1981 IWC zero catch quota.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_Japan#Research_whaling

The Gray Whale Another Sushi Favorite On The Extinction List

Clearly Japan has continued to whale commerically since   the moratorium began in 1986. That the Japanese whaler hunters have been allowed to decimate whale population even today in 2011 is unacceptable.  That Japan is knowingly buying the votes of other countries is unacceptable. The only group that has made  headway in stopping the Japanese fleet is the SSCS. The International Whaling Commision needs  a new attitude, and a name change. Instead of managing numbers they need to get on board and start saving our oceans by saving our whales.

Please urge president Obama, to support the restructuring of the IWC. Now is the time if ever to join our voices and let those in power know it is time to stop killing whales. Aboriginal sustenance, research whaling, it is all and excuse to keep clear cutting our oceans of marine life that is needed for our planets survival.

Follow the Link Below to sign the petition:

https://secure3.convio.net/gpeace/site/Advocacy?

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Contact the Japanese Embassy in Washington DC and urge them to stop killing dolphins and whales.  Be polite, and urge them to protect Japanese consumers from mercury poisoning from eating dangerous whale and dolphin meat.

Ambassador Ichiro FUJISAKI

2520 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20008

Phone:  202-238-6700

Fax: 202-328-2187

Japan Information and Culture Center

E-mail: jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp

Email the Prime Minister of Japan Nato Kan. Let him know you will not support Japan if they won’t stop murdering cetaceans. By Law the Japanese government must respond to all emails. This is a direct link to his comment page.

https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment_ssl.html
Make Today A Day for the whales. Please Call and Write Now. They need us!