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Orca Lulu's body contained PCB levels 100x above the safe limit. Image: SMASS

Toxic tides, troubled whales: the toll of chemical pollution

In last week's blog, we examined the challenges whales and dolphins face as they travel...
Group of orcas at surface

Breaking barriers for whales and dolphins at the Convention of Migratory Species

Many species of whales, dolphins and porpoises undertake long journeys, encountering human-made obstacles along the...
Tokyo

WDC in Japan – Part 1: Finding allies in Tokyo

At the end of May, I embarked on an incredible journey to Japan on behalf...
Amazon river dolphins leaping

The state of river dolphin conservation

At Whale and Dolphin Conservation, we partner with conservationists and communities fighting to save river...
Researchers in Southeast Alaska studying whale poo

We’re funding crucial research on whale poo to combat the climate crisis

The ocean is one of the lungs of our planet, and whales help it to...
Narwhal surfacing

The unicorns of the sea must be protected – CITES

The narwhal, is under threat. Often referred to as the unicorns of the sea, narwhals,...
Sperm whales

We’re pushing governments for action for our climate heroes – whales

The climate crisis is the greatest threat to all life on Earth. But there is...
Dolphins captured for captivity in Taiji. Image: Hans Peter Roth

Loved and killed – whales and dolphins in Japan

Protests and criticism from outside Japan in response to the slaughter of whales and dolphins...
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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...

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...

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...

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...

Icelandic fin whale hunting to resume

Iceland’s only fin whaling company, Hvalur hf,  announced today that it will resume fin whaling...

The EU must shut its ports to whale meat!

More than 105,000 people responded to our call for the EU to ban the transit of whale meat through its ports. If you were one of them – thank you! 

The European Union actually has some solid laws against killing whales and trading in their meat and other body parts, so it should be a no-brainer for the EU not to help the whalers with their bloody trade.   However, the transit of whale meat through EU ports is perfectly legal as long as the relevant paperwork is in order and the meat at no point actually enters the EU. WDC has been campaigning to change this for several years and this week, we’ve been delighted to see some valuable progress as the European Parliament discussed Norway´s whale slaughter and the increasing trade in whale meat between Norway and Japan. In a debate held on July 6th, many MEPs called on the EU Commission to act and ban the transit of whale meat through EU ports once and for all

The many MEPs from various political backgrounds who spoke on the issue were in agreement that the EU needs to step up its game and forcefully address Norway’s continued whaling and trade

MEP Mark Demesmaeker stated that if the EU does not do something substantial, it will be complicit in the trade in dead whales.

MEP  Anja Hazekamp, who was instrumental in getting the question tabled, said that whaling and trade must stop. She called on the EU to ban the transits and referred to a legal opinion that clearly showed that the EU has the option to ban transits, even if the relevant paperwork is in order.

Green MEP Keith Taylor gave a passionate statement in which he said that the EU is assisting the whalers by allowing the whale meat transits, which actually contravenes EU policies aimed at protecting whales and dolphins. Keith said that if Norway did not comply with CITES and IWC regulations then a transit ban should be enacted.

MEP Marco Affronte pointed out that over the past few years, the European Parliament has debated whaling a lot and he expressed frustration that no practical steps have so far been taken.  He added that this time though, the EU has the chance to finally do something. As a side note, Mr Affronte also said that, as regards the current trade agreement with Japan, the European Parliament has stated clearly that it wants to see an end to Japan’s whaling.

Other MEPs chimed in and agreed that the EU has a duty to send a very clear message that whaling is unacceptable, and take action.

All strong and positive stuff from the European Parliament, but the EU Commission has been disappointingly weak in its response. The Commission representative repeated previous statements and cited EU laws on the protection of whales and the prohibition of trade in whale meat and products.

He then went on to remind people that Norway is actually permitted to trade in whale products because it has what’s known as a ‘reservation’ and legally excuses itself from the rules that most of the rest of the world agrees through the International Whaling Commission (the body that regulates whaling) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). He also pointed out that transit of such shipments was legal under international law and in the EU. He said the EU will continue its current course of raising the issue with Norway and calling on them to stop, but he did not acknowledge the possibility of a ban or stronger measures.

The Commissioner also had to admit that the EU does not have information on the quantities and destinations of whale meat going its ports.

All in all, a positive and necessary debate.

The real test will come in September when the European Parliament will have to decide whether or not they will put these words into action. A ‘resolution’ will be put to the vote which will echo the calls of the MEPs for strict measures against Norway and will hopefully call for a ban on the transit of whale meat through EU ports.  If successful, this will put further pressure on the EU Commission to close its ports to whale meat and stop assisting the transit of dead whales. WDC will be on the case, on your behalf, until the bloody trade is stopped. 

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