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A Baby Humpback Whale Plays Near the Surface in Blue Water

New report by Deloitte and WDC does a deep dive into the opportunities for businesses in embracing oceanic biodiversity

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and Deloitte have released a new report that shines a...

Dead whale beauty products to be sold in Japanese vending machine stores

https://au.whales.org/2023/05/12/dead-whale-beauty-products-to-be-sold-in-japanese-vending-machine-stores/

Arrests made following illegal whale meat smuggling from Japan to South Korea

Customs authorities in Busan, South Korea, have arrested six people for allegedly smuggling at least...

New report on Icelandic hunts reveals whale can take two hours to die

Fin whale with unexploded grenade harpoon embedded in his or her side. © Hard To...
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  • 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...

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...

Icelandic fin whale hunting to resume

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

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...

Narwhals and Bowhead whales threatened by new Arctic shipping routes

A NASA-funded study has warned that marine creatures like whales and dolphins will be exposed to greater threats from boat traffic as sea ice continues to melt in the Arctic.

The study found that narwhals in particular would be under threat as new shipping lanes opening up as a result of sea ice melting due to global warming. Some scientists predict that even the North Pole may be passable within a matter of decades.  

The rise in the number and huge size of these vessels crossing the Arctic is a real threat to whales and dolphins because they are often unable to avoid ships. In most collisions, a whale struck by a ship is killed or left severely injured. Increased boat traffic also creates noise pollution, driving whales away from areas important to their survival.

Narwhals would be especially vulnerable in the future because they tend to stay in specific areas and, according to Dr. Kristin Laidre, a polar scientist at the University of Washington, “they live in only about a quarter of the Arctic, and they’re smack dab in the middle of shipping routes”.

Other Arctic whales, such as bowheads would be at risk as they move slowly and ship strikes are already a major cause of death for them.

The scientists urged policy makers to use their research to create new guidelines that will minimize harm to Arctic creatures – such as ships avoiding key habitats, taking into account migration routes, setting maximum noise levels, and in general help ships detect and deviate from whales.

WDC is working with international bodies and on projects to reduce vessel collisions all around the world, including in areas where whales or dolphins are particularly vulnerable.

We have to act now to stop this increase in whale and dolphin injury and death from collisions with ships. With your support we can continue this good work and prevent more of those needless deaths. Donate or fundraise now.