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Dominica announces new protections for sperm whales

Dominica has placed almost 800 square kilometers of sea off the west coast of the...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
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...
All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings

Minke whale hunts stop in Iceland

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

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...

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...

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...

Anger as Australian government releases plans to slash marine protection

The Australian government has been criticised for ignoring the public, local communities and scientific advice after announcing draft plans to cut the network of protected sea areas in the region.

The amended ‘Management Plan for the suspended National Marine Park Network’ proposed by the government now contains devastating cutbacks for some of Australia’s best-loved marine treasures, opening the door to destructive commercial fishing and to oil and gas giants.

Marine protected areas like these are stretches of sea that provide much needed protection for nationally and internationally important marine wildlife like whales and dolphins, and the habitats they use to live in, feed, and breed. The shocking new Australian proposals have ravaged the Sanctuary Zones in the region, in particular the Coral Sea has been reduced from one of the largest strictly protected areas in the world to less than half of that.

These plans will now be put to the public and local communities. WDC is part of the Save our Marine Life alliance, a collective of the most pro-active groups on this issue, which is running a campaign to encourage people take action and make a submission in support of retaining the previous sanctuary outlines, or sign the petition.

Please sign the petition HERE

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, WDC works with governments, international bodies, local communities scientists and other stakeholders to locate, design and implement protected areas in the places whales and dolphins need them most. We will do whatever is needed to protect the oceans.  Help by donating now.