Sea Shepherd Featured in the Award Winning Documentary “The Cove”
Sea Shepherd in Taiji, November 2003
Back in October 2003, Captain Paul Watson sent a team to Taiji, Japan to document the slaughter of the dolphins. The video and photos of that campaign made international headlines and exposed the atrocities of the Japanese dolphin killers to the world.
In November 2003, Sea Shepherd crewmembers Allison Lance of the United States and Alex Cornelissen of the Netherlands cut the nets and freed 15 dolphins, saving them from slaughter. They were both jailed for three weeks before being released and they were both quite happy to trade three weeks of their freedom for the lives of the dolphins.
In response to the freeing of the dolphins and the exposure of the slaughter, the Taiji fishermen erected huge tarp barricades to keep the killing from being documented and it became a crime to wear a Sea Shepherd shirt or hat or to be a member of Sea Shepherd in Taiji.
Ric O’Barry came to Taiji to support us that year and this incredible activist was able to return after the Sea Shepherd crew members were banned.
We were happy to leave the campaign in his capable hands after we got the ball rolling that year and he was relentless in his dogged pursuit of justice for the dolphins.
Sea Shepherd did return in October 2007 along with World champion free surfer Dave Rastovich and celebrities Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Isabel Lucas (Transformers Revenge of the Fallen). Sea Shepherd crewmember Simeon Houtman accompanied the surfers and once again the slaughter was given worldwide coverage.
Meanwhile Ric O’Barry was working with a documentary crew from the Ocean Preservation Society to assault Taiji with a commando squad of camera wielding documentarians.
They had to find a way to film on the other side of the barricades where the slaughter was taking place.
They invested some big bucks and covertly planted cameras on the beaches, in the air, underwater and in the hills to capture every horrific detail of one of the cruelest and most monstrous massacres of wildlife …
Attention all Canadians - Support the Harb Seal Bill
Finally, a Canadian politician with the guts to speak out for justice for the seals.
Canadian Senator Mac Harb introduced a Bill on March 3rd to end Canada’s cruel and destructive commercial seal slaughter once and for all.
Canadian politicians rose quickly to stifle the Harb Seal Bill but the fact that at long last, for the first time since the mid-1970’s, a Canadian politician has spoken out against the seal slaughter.
This is a crack that we can wedge open further thanks to the European Bill to ban seal products.
If you are a Canadian or even if you’re not, please send Senator Mac Harb an e-mail expressing your support for his initiative. He needs to know he has the backing of millions of people worldwide.
The e-mail address for Senator Mac Harb is harbsealbill@sen.parl.gc.ca
The address for postage (free when sent to House and/or Senate) is:
Senator Mac Harb: House of Commons Parliament Buildings Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0A6
Every single message and letter of support will help him make the Bill to end the seal hunt legitimate in the Senate and in the House of Commons, and bring it to the next stages. Every message of support will also make it much more difficult for the political parties and government to ignore the will of their electorates. As you all know, public opinion is on our side to end the seal slaughter. We must reach out to as many people as we can.
Independent groups will be participating globally for the International Day of Action for Seals the weekend of March 15th to protest the start of the seal hunt. This will be a great opportunity to rally all groups in support of Senator Mac Harb.
Sample of action addressed to all senators (Courtesy of IFAW)
Dear Senator,
I am writing to urge you to support Senator Mac Harb’s bill to end Canada’s commercial seal hunt.
As a Canadian, I proudly support this initiative and urge you to be accountable to the vast majority of Canadians by supporting this long-overdue legislation.
Our government has …
Russia Bans the Slaughter of Baby Harp Seals
The baby harp seals of the world have now found at least one civilized place on this planet to be born where they can be spared the greed and cruelty of humankind.
The Russian government has banned the hunting of baby harp seals in the regions surrounding the White Sea.
Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called seal hunting a “bloody industry”.
“It is clear that it should have been banned a long time ago,” said Putin at a meeting with the Minister of Natural Resources.
This leaves only Canada and Norway as the remaining baby seal butchers and both of these nations should be ashamed of themselves in light of this decision by Russia.
Putin acknowledged the importance of the hunting industry in the region and said that he would require the government to compensate incomes of the White Sea people in connection with the ban on hunting.
“This is one of their means of existence. Therefore, simply banning is inadequate. A system of support measures must be worked out to secure employment and income of those who live and work there,” said Putin.
The people of the White Sea area are far more economically disadvantaged than the people of Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands yet Russia has found a way to compensate the hunters and to provide protection for the seals.
“The slaughter of seals in Canada remains one of the blackest marks on the reputation of all Canadians,” said Captain Paul Watson. “How sad it is that Russia can find a way to end this slaughter yet Canada continues to subsidize the largest seal massacre on the planet.”
The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources is preparing proposals to ban the hunting of seals up to the age of one.
Professor Aleksey Yablokov, an associate professor at the Russian Academy of Science, believes that the seals could soon number no more than 150 thousand.
“This is a real biological catastrophe. At the current rate, in a few years the seal could become a rarity in the White Sea,” said Yablokov.
Currently around 800 thousand inhabit the White Sea.
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Notes from the Front on the Tasmanian Pilot Whale Stranding
by Peter Hammarstedt and Adam Lau
News from the Naracoopa mass stranding:
3 March 2009, 2200 Hours
When we received news of the mass stranding of pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins in Naracoopa on King Island, we knew that we had to get involved even though King Island, although seemingly so close, was difficult to reach. Every year, we travel thousands of miles to the remote Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary to do everything that we can to defend whales. So when we heard that 173 pilot whales and 5 bottlenose dolphins had stranded on King Island, we knew that distance was not going to be an issue despite the obstacles. We immediately chartered a flight and sent five of our volunteer crew from the M/Y Steve Irwin directly to the rescue site to lend our assistance to the Department of Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW) in any way possible.
We measure our success on every campaign that we do by the number of lives that we are able to save. On this years Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Musashi, we were able to successfully prevent the Japanese whaling fleet from illegally killing whales for five weeks, saving hundreds of lives.
It took all day to drive to the north coast of Tasmania and to arrange an aircraft charter. We arrived in the evening. Fifty-three out of 54 live pilot whales were returned to the sea thanks to a tremendous effort by Parks and Wildlife, DPIW and the local community. Only one whale remained, unable to be relocated, by increasingly more treacherous surf. Our crew assisted in sustaining the one lone female that remained from the Naracoopa stranding. We made an attempt at 0900 the next morning to take the lone pilot whale back out to sea, but sea conditions made it impossible. So we stood another day and night watch to ensure her well-being so that we could assist the Park in reintroducing her to open water at the first break in the weather. Her breathing was regular, she still had her strength, and we were able to move …
The Farley Mowat - Let the Buyer Beware!
Without being charged, without a trial, without a hearing, without the serving of a summons, our ship the Farley Mowat has been ordered sold by the Government of Canada.
“Am I shocked or surprised?” said Captain Paul Watson. “Not really, I’ve smelt the bananas in Canada all my life. My country has freedom of speech until you speak, freedom of expression until you express yourself, and the freedom to hold property until the government takes it from you. Nothing that Canada, where the red of the flag stands for the blood of millions of slaughtered seals surprises me anymore. The fact is that they stole our ship without any charges laid against it or the owners and now they have ordered the sale of our property against our wishes.”
The Canadian government seized the ship in international waters in April 2008 and arrested Captain Alex Cornelissen of the Netherlands and 1st Officer Peter Hammarstedt of Sweden for the “crime” of witnessing and documenting the killing of a seal under the Canadian Seal Protection regulations.
The Farley Mowat has been held for over a year although no charges were ever brought against the ship or the owners of the ship - the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
“The Canadian government not only has little respect for the lives of hundreds of thousands of seals, they also seem to have little respect for property and the due process of law,” said Captain Paul Watson.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society made demands of the Canadian government that the Farley Mowat be returned in the same condition it was received. They refused and made the decision to sell the ship without even notifying the owner (Sea Shepherd) that the ship would be seized.
“I have no intention of recognizing the validity of any sale ordered by the Canadian government,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Whoever buys the ship should be aware that we retain the registry and the original Bill of Sale and we will take back what is ours at the first opportunity. You don’t steal a ship from a pirate without repercussions.”
Any …
Nishin Maru
The Sea Shepherds have finally found the most important ship in the Japanese whaling fleet, the Nisshin Maru factory ship. Everything has led to this moment and despite warnings from the Japanese whalers, the Sea Shepherds strike. After two rounds of attacks, the Japanese whalers retaliate with concussion grenades. During the battle, the Captain claims to be shot and he removes a bullet lodged in his bulletproof vest, aimed at his heart. The Sea Shepherds alert the media that Paul Watson is safe and triumphantly depart Antarctica. They claim to have successfully saved hundreds of whales but know their mission will never be over till whales are no longer being slaughtered in the Southern Oceans.
Suspect Arrested for Threatening to Bomb the Steve Irwin
The Tasmanian police have arrested a suspect who allegedly called police to say he had planted a bomb on the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin in Hobart harbor. The suspect called in the bomb threat from his own Victoria registered cell phone from Hobart. The police traced the call and identified the owner of the cell phone.
Police showed ships manager Benjamin Baldwin a photograph of the suspect and Ben recognized him as a person he refused to allow on the ship a few hours before the threat was made. Ben reported that the man had been bragging about being in Auckland when Greenpeaces ship the Rainbow Warrior was bombed. Ben thought he was acting strange and told him that he was not welcome to board the ship.
The name of the suspect has not yet been released.
There were only five crewmembers on the ship at the time the threat was made. Five other crewmembers were on King Island assisting with the rescue of stranded pilot whales and a few others were ashore in Hobart.
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Tasmania Welcomes the Return of the Steve Irwin to Hobart
If it’s a choice between the support of the government and the support of the people, Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson is happy that Sea Shepherd is enjoying the support of the people.
“From the Australian government we are getting criticism and police raids,” said Captain Watson. “But from the Australian people we are getting a wonderful welcome.”
Some 2,000 people visited and toured the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin on Saturday, February 21st at MacQuarie Dock in Hobart.
“It’s good to be home and it’s gratifying to see and hear what people are saying to us and how they appreciate what we are doing,” said crew member Andrew Perry of Hobart.
Andrew was married by Captain Watson to Molly Kendall of Adelaide, South Australia during the Antarctic campaign. The Green Party of Australia sent a gift basket to the happy couple. Hobart bars were offering free drinks to Sea Shepherd crew and members of the public have delivered contributions of supplies and money to the Steve Irwin.
“There is no doubt that Australia is the greatest whale loving nation on Earth,” said Swedish 1st Officer Peter Hammarstedt. “This country rocks.”
The Steve Irwin will remain in Hobart for a month before moving to Melbourne. This week Captain Paul Watson will be speaking at the University of Tasmania, attending a photo exhibit about Tasmanian forests by Green Party leader Senator Bob Brown and will speak to forest activists on the front lines of the battle to save Tasmania’s old growth trees.
“These two issues, whales and trees are closely related more than people know,” said Captain Watson. “Twenty percent of Japan’s paper supply originates in Tasmania. It’s a trade-off. Australia wants to continue destroying old growth forests in Tasmania to sell to the Japanese therefore the government is willing to do the bidding of the Japanese whaling industry. In return the Japanese want to kill endangered whales and are threatening trade retaliation against Australia. It seems to me that Japan needs Australia more than Australia needs Japan, but politicians tend to be afraid of …
Greens Welcome Steve Irwin’s Safe Return to Hobart
And Congratulate Newly-Wed Sea Shepherds
Nick McKim MP
Saturday, 21st February 2009
For Comment: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233 8300
The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the safe return to Hobart of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, and their ship Steve Irwin, and congratulated the activists for their heroic obstruction of Japanese whaling efforts in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary off Antarctica.
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said the Sea Shepherd activists are doing the job of the Rudd Labor Government which was elected in 2007 while talking tough about whaling, but which has since done very little to back up its pre-election words with post-election action.
Mr McKim also congratulated Sea Shepherd activists Andrew Perry and Molly Kendall who were married on Scott Island in the Ross Sea just last week by Steve Irwin captain Paul Watson, and presented the new couple with a wedding gift on behalf of the Tasmanian community.
“Tasmania is extremely well represented onboard the Steve Irwin by Ashley Dunn from Launceston and Andrew Perry who has been based in Hobart, and I have the pleasure of presenting a hamper of gourmet Tasmanian produce for Andrew and his new wife Molly Kendall, who were married last week by Steve Irwin Captain Paul Watson,” Mr McKim said.
“The Steve Irwin crew have spent most of the last two months at sea off Antarctica risking their own lives to save whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary - there is no doubt that these activists are heroes.”
“Given the Australian public’s strong opposition to whaling, many will be astounded by the unprecedented raid upon the Steve Irwin by the Australian Federal Police when it docked last night.”
“The Australian government should focus its attention on dealing with the Japanese whalers who are breaching the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary with impunity, rather than hassle the Sea Shepherd.”
“The Japanese whalers upped the ante this season by engaging in aggressive attempts to ram the Steve Irwin, to foul its propellers with ropes, and to injure its crew with long range acoustic weapons, but the activists continued their mission despite …
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Granted 2009 Funding from the Dutch Postcode Lottery ”Postcodeloterij”
On February 5th in The Hague, Netherlands at the Dutch Postcode Lottery’s annual “Goed Geld Gala” Sea Shepherd Conservation Society received a check for 500,000 euros. The “Goed Geld Gala” is televised and it is the forum for the lottery to announce the amount of money they have raised for donations to non-profit organizations.
This year the Dutch Prime Minister, Dr Jan Peter Balkenende, graced the stage of this very prestigious event with the founder of the Dutch Postcode Lottery, Boudewijn Poelmann. In addition to this 2009 donation, Sea Shepherd has also been granted a multi-year donation contract ensuring additional funding in future years. This extremely generous cumulative donation totaling 2,500,000 euros is in recognition of Sea Shepherd’s long-term commitment to marine conservation globally and it is amongst the largest since Sea Shepherd was founded in 1977. In these challenging economic times, these funds will help to ensure that Sea Shepherd is able to continue its growing campaign successes and to defend ocean wildlife worldwide. The Dutch Postcode Lottery’s support will also stand as a landmark of institutional legitimacy for Sea Shepherd’s marine conservation mission and a financial beacon for present and future supporters whose donations help to sustain the organization.
The Dutch Postcode Lottery was founded 20 years ago as a means to raise money for organizations who advocate for nature conservation, environmental protection, victims of war, and victims of violence and poverty. Half the money raised annually through this lottery is donated to carefully selected non-profit organizations. Since its founding in 1989, the Dutch Postcode Lottery has donated in excess of 2.5 billion euros as part of its commitment to aid non-profit organizations in the essential work they undertake.
The organizations that received 2009 donations can be found at the following link:
http://www.postcodeloterij.nl/GoedeDoelen/AlleGoedeDoelen.htm
Sea Shepherd has committed the funding we have been granted to our vigilant battle against illegal Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, to anti-poaching patrols and law enforcement in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands where we have a full-time office, to develop global strategies …
