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It’s summer in the Antarctic Ocean and many whale species have migrated to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, an important feeding ground. One would think that in an internationally recognized sanctuary at the ends of the Earth, these whales would be safe from the boating, fish netting, noise pollution, and other man-made hazards.

However, Japanese whaling fleets have already left harbor to hunt the whales for meat in this sanctuary as they have done increasingly since 1997 in defiance of international bans on whaling.

Each year, Japanese whalers slaughter more and more whales. This year, the Japanese whaling industry has vowed to kill the greatest number of whales yet, about 1000 in all. These numbers will be made up of near-threatened Minke whales and 50 endangered Fin whales.

But this year, they will not be alone on the rough seas against the Japanese whalers. Australia’s new government is joining Greenpeace in saying “enough is enough.” As Josh Hill writes, this pressure is already beginning to bear fruits. Japan has agreed to suspend–at least for the moment—its plans to kill an additional 50 threatened humpback whales.

Australia is sending ships usually reserved for tracking down marine poachers to monitor the whaling vessels. That’s not all. There will also be eyes in the sky as an Australian surveillance plane record the whaler’s every action from above. This is all just part of a larger effort that Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, hopes will help put an end to Japan’s horrible whale hunt once and for all.

One of the ships sent to the Antarctic waters will also be tasked with gathering evidence that Australia hopes to use in international court to put an end to Japan’s continued whaling atrocities.

In addition, the Australian government is also ramping up pressure from other anti-whaling nations against the Japanese whaling industry. In just a few days, Australia plans to lodge a formal protests of these nations before the Japanese government in Tokyo.

“We are dealing here with the slaughter of whales, not scientific research,” Smith said at a press conference. “That is our start point and our end point.”

As they have every year, Greenpeace ships will also again take to the seas. Activists on board will again physically position themselves between the explosive-tipped harpoons and the bodies of the fleeing whales.

Learn More

Is the Japanese whaling industry planning to build a new whaling ship? Learn more here.

Watch the following Greenpeace documentary on the history of the Japanese Whale hunt.

Take Action

For Australian Residents: Visit the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Australia (IFAW) for action ideas. Australia’s news media has also joined in the fray. The Daily Telegraph and Today are collecting signatutes on a petition that it will send to the Japanese government. Such petitions are effective effecting change by demonstrating global scrutiny of a country’s policies.

For Non-Australian residents: Sign the petition at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) website against whaling. These petitions send a strong message to the Japanese government that the world is watching. Also, call your government and ask them to please place international pressure against Japan, Norway, and Iceland to stop their whaling industries. Residents of the United States of America can contact the White House comment line by phone at (202) 456-2461 or by email at president@whitehouse.gov; they can contact Congresspeople and Senators at (202) 224-3121.

References & Resources

Australia wants Japan to call off humpback hunt | The Japan News.net

Australia to monitor Japanese whaling | USA Today

Whale Defenders | Greenpeace

Photo Source:

Fin Whale | Wikipedia