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SWNW Commercial Whaling WHERE DOES WHALE WATCHING FIT IN? HOW YOU CAN NO ONE EXPERIENCING A CLOSE PERSONAL HELP WHALES! encounter with whales can fail to be moved by these animals. Many even become advocates ៑ Go whale watching! Experience for yourself for whales. Properly regulated whale watching the beauty—and value—of seeing whales excursions show the beauty of whales to people in their own habitat. And encourage others worldwide. Students and tourists can also gain to do the same. valuable information about whales from whale watching programs. And researchers use whale ៑ To find out more about whales and watching vessels for their studies. Today, a live the commercial whaling issue, visit whale is more valuable than a dead one. The www.savewhalesnotwhaling.org or write to whale watching industry is now worth $1 us at Save Whales—Not Whaling, The HSUS, CETACEAN SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL billion, according to a recent study, and nearly 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. The Humane Society of the United 500 communities in 87 countries offer whale States/Humane Society International and dolphin watching tours. Whale watching is even a growing industry in Iceland, Norway, believes that commercial whaling and Japan! has no place in modern society. We no longer need the bone, blubber, meat, and oil that whales used to supply. In fact, today whales are more valuable alive than dead. Protecting whales not only helps the NOAA/DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE animals but also provides financial, educational, and aesthetic ៑ Write letters to your government officials, who need to know that their constituents opportunities for people. are concerned about whales. If you are a U.S. citizen, write to President George W. Bush, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20500. Urge him Promoting the protection of all animals GRACIELA KADEN to maintain the same policy toward whaling that has been held by every president since 1972: No commercial whaling. Also ask President Bush to apply trade sanctions against the whaling countries that ignore their international obligations and continue to slaughter whales. If your country is an IWC member, ask your head of state to maintain the ban on commercial whaling. See our website, www.savewhalesnotwhaling.org, for more information. ©2002 The HSUS. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper. CETACEAN SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL HUMPBACK WHALE COVER IMAGE TAKEN UNDER NMFS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PERMIT 882, ©PHILLIP COLLA/HAWAII WHALE RESEARCH FOUNDATION. overpopulated. They WHO IS KILLING THE WHALES? Endangered aren’t a threat to DESPITE THE IWC MORATORIUM, NORWAY anyone—although and Japan continue to slaughter whales. Norway one of the more uses a technicality that makes commercially by Greed absurd claims killing whales legal. Japan says it kills whales made by whaling only for “scientific research,” yet whale meat nations is that continues to be available at Japanese super- A LL CO whales compete with the commercial fishing markets and restaurants—even meat from THE HSUS HIL ©P industry by eating commercially important endangered whale species. In 2001, after years has discretionary power to impose trade VEN THOUGH WHALES HAVE SURVIVED fish. Indeed, many whales do not even eat fish, of taking minke whales for this so-called sanctions against a country to hold it account- for millennia, their lives are now in and the decline in many fish stocks is from research, Japan added Bryde’s whales and able for its actions. Imposing trade sanctions Edanger. Some populations even face industrial overfishing. endangered sperm whales to its North Pacific would send a strong message, but former extinction. One of their most deadly enemies? kill. In 2002, Japan announced that it would once President Clinton did not act. President Bush Commercial whaling. again increase the number of whales it kills and has not yet chosen to apply sanctions—though You may have thought that whales were would begin to take endangered sei whales. he is in a position to do so—and signal that he already saved. Not so. Despite a moratorium Japan has also announced it will resume takes seriously the plight of the world’s whales. on commercial whaling—implemented by the international trade in whale meat with Norway. International Whaling Commission (IWC) in This is a critical time for whales and for the HOW ELSE CAN WHALES BE PROTECTED? 1986—some countries are still killing whales. IWC whaling moratorium. Japan and Norway, And for what? For profit. joined by Iceland, are lobbying for the resump- A COMPLETE AND PERMANENT BAN ON In this century, there are substitutes for the tion of full-scale commercial whaling. And by commercial whaling is the most effective way whale byproducts historically used for every- offering financial incentives to some of the IWC to comprehensively protect whales from this thing from perfume to corsets. Unfortunately, member countries in return for their pro-whaling threat to their survival. there is still demand for whale meat and votes, Japan is openly gathering support for Another important protection is the creation blubber as expensive delicacies, and countries overturning the moratorium. of international sanctuaries, areas that provide are willing to defy an international treaty to safe refuge for whales during critical feeding, supply them. HOW CAN WHALING breeding, and calving times. So far, the IWC has COUNTRIES BE STOPPED? created two sanctuaries: one in the Southern WHY PROTECT WHALES? WHILE SOME COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO KILL Ocean (Antarctica) and one in the Indian Ocean. WHALES ARE AMONG THE WORLD’S MOST whales in defiance of the IWC ban, trade sanc- Currently Australia and New Zealand are work- fascinating and beautiful animals. These tions can be a persuasive means of getting them ing to create a South Pacific sanctuary, and magnificent mammals nurse their young, breathe to stop—at least temporarily. In 2000, The Brazil is working toward the establishment of air, and communicate with one another. They And killing whales isn’t just needless—it’s Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) a South Atlantic sanctuary. Sanctuaries do not populated the planet long before humans, yet cruel. All methods of killing whales are inhumane petitioned the U.S. government just keep whales safe from hunters. They also scientists have barely begun to understand because the large size of even the smallest to certify that under engage and benefit the surrounding communi- them. Sentient, intelligent animals, who are whales, their remarkable adaptations for diving, the U.S. law known as ties by promoting whale watching integral elements of their ecosystems, whales have and the uncontrollable weather and conditions the Pelly Amendment, and research and providing intrinsic value—reason enough to protect them. at sea make it very Japan incentives to reduce But whales living in their natural habitats also difficult to kill them is dimin- pollution and other have economic value, as millions of people instantaneously ishing the habitat degradation. pay to learn about them through whale or render them effectiveness of watching excursions. immediately insensible. an international In fact, there is no good reason to kill whales, So whales may suffer fisheries or endangered/ who also suffer the effects of pollution, global horrible, painful deaths threatened species conser- climate change, habitat degradation, fishing gear lasting anywhere vation program. In such entanglement, and ship collisions. They aren’t from a few minutes a case, the U.S. president to several hours. HUMPBACK IMAGE TAKEN UNDER NMFS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PERMIT 882, ©PHILLIP COLLA/HAWAII WHALE RESEARCH FOUNDATION..
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