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Vaquita. Photo Thomas Jefferson

Scientific Committee gives first ever official species extinction warning

Photo: Thomas Jefferson We have welcomed the urgent call by experts to protect the vaquita...
blue whale

Whale fossil from Peru may have been heavier than blue whale

Scientists examining the bones of a 39 million-year-old ancient whale have concluded that it may...
Humpback whale © Christopher Swann

Humpback whales breach in synchronisation

Humpback whales are renowned for their incredible acrobatic displays, but a family in the USA...
Long-finned pilot whale

Unusual activity witnessed before pilot whale stranding

Just days after a pod of long-finned pilot whales stranded on an island in the...
All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings
Port River dolphins

New report reveals 100,000 dolphins and small whales hunted every year

When you hear the words ‘dolphin hunts’ it’s likely that you think of Japan or...

Minke whale hunts stop in Iceland

Iceland’s commercial hunt of minke whales has ended for this year. The common minke whale is the...

Australian Government to block Japanese whaling proposal

Japanese Government officials have reportedly confirmed that they will propose the resumption of commercial whaling...

Did Icelandic whalers really kill a blue whale?

*Warning - this blog contains an image that you may find upsetting* They say a...

Icelandic whalers breach international law and kill iconic, protected whale by mistake

Icelandic whalers out hunting fin whales for the first time in three years appear to...

Pregnant whales once again a target for Japanese whalers

Figures from Japan's whaling expedition to Antarctica during the 2017/18 austral summer have revealed that...

Doubts remain after Icelandic Marine Institute claims slaughtered whale was a hybrid not a blue

Experts remain sceptical of initial test results issued by the Icelandic Marine Institute, which indicate...

Japan set to resume commercial whaling

Reports from Japan suggest that the government they will formally propose plans to resume commercial...

End the whale hunts! Icelandic fin whaler isolated as public mood shifts

Here’s a sight I hoped never again to witness. A boat being scrubbed and repainted...

Norway increases whaling quota despite declining demand

Norway's government has announced an increase in the number of minke whales that can be...

Norway's whaling season begins

April 1st saw the start of the whaling season in Norway. Despite a widely-accepted international moratorium...

SOS alert for whales off Norway!

I have to admit to bitter disappointment when I arrived in Tromsø, northern Norway, a...

Success! Largest marine protected area created following landmark meeting

Members gathered for the latest meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) have agreed to safeguard 1.55 million km2 of the Ross Sea in the Southern Ocean.

This momentous decision will mean the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area in the Ross Sea, protecting whales, dolphins and many other creatures that make this area their home.

WDC has supported the campaign to establish these protected sea areas as part of the Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA). Previously, moves to create this safe haven in the region had been blocked. However, today’s agreement is a major step forward for conservation.

The Ross Sea is one of the last intact marine ecosystems in the world, home to penguins, Weddell seals, Antarctic toothfish, Antarctic minke whales, and a unique type of orca. The region is critical for scientific research, for studying how marine ecosystems function and understanding the impacts of climate change on the ocean. 

WDC’s Marine Protected Areas lead, Erich Hoyt, said; ‘A substantial part of the Ross Sea was protected today, the culmination of work by many people and groups over the past decade and more. This largely intact marine ecosystem include 38% of the world’s Adelie penguins, 26% of the Emperor penguins, and roughly 6% of Antarctic minke whales and 30% of the Ross Sea type orcas. The agreement is for 35 years, not permanent, but this is a HUGE step. Bravo to CCAMLR, the group of governments involved, for this action to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition and all the associated people and groups who have helped over the years to make this day happen!’

Read Erich’s blog here