Sunday 6th June 2010 – Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Humpback Whale Migration – Japanese Whaling Updates
Hello everyone, in my last post on Wednesday we had loads of fun, we didn’t go out on Thursday. Went out on Friday the 4th June, 2010 and it took us 2 hours to find whales. They are diving for around 10-15 minutes and way way out to sea, around that 10 mile mark. Nearly impossible to see them from the shore today, unless you have a good set of eyes. We eventually found 3 large humpback whales off Coolangatta around the 9 mile mark. They were happily travelling north. The sea was magnificant. We saw heaps of common and large bottlenose dolphins, around 3 pods. All in all a great day out. Our 100% success rate still stands 4 yrs running – thank goodness for that !!!
Did not go on Saturday.
Today, Sunday, hard job again, we travelled many many miles in search of our magnificant mammals to only find one whale off Kingscliff and once again around 10 miles out to sea. There wasn’t a blow or a breach anywhere in the distance. We had a couple of pods of dolphins that were feeding, not interested in coming to the boat today, not like Friday when the dolphins were literally everywhere and really happy swimming with the boat. Sea today was a little on the swelly side, pretty good really, loads of sunshine. Everyone had a great time and as we only saw one whale we offered everyone a return trip if they wished. There are hardly any ganets about, which is unusual for this time of year, I think we are going to get bombarded very very soon with heaps of whales, I think by weeks end they will be everywhere.
Until next time this has been Carol ‘The Whale Women”
Happy Whale Watching
Below is Sea Shepherd information on the Japanese, Iceland and Norway Commercial Whaling – let’s get together and stop this from going ahead – we must act now before it is too late. The Australian Government have finally come to the fore with Legal Action – hooray about time!! No more kills No more spills No more deaths in our oceans
Finally- Australian Government Initiates Legal Action on Japanese Whaling
It has taken three years, but finally the government of Kevin Rudd has decided to act on their election promise of 2007.
Australia is officially initiating a legal action against Japanese whaling in the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands.
“The Australian government has not taken this decision lightly,” Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith and Attorney-General Robert McClelland said in a statement.
This is the statement from the government of Australia:
STEPHEN SMITH MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PETER GARRETT MP
Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts
ROBERT McCLELLAND MP
Attorney-General
28 May 2010
GOVERNMENT INITIATES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST JAPANESE WHALING
Australia will initiate legal action in the International Court of Justice in The Hague against Japanese ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean.
The decision underlines the Government’s commitment to bring to an end Japan’s program of so-called ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean. It also demonstrates our commitment to do what it takes to end whaling globally.
The Australian Government has not taken this decision lightly. We have been patient and committed in our efforts to find a diplomatic resolution to this issue. We have engaged in intensive discussions in the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and bilaterally with Japan.
We have enjoyed the support of many other IWC members who share Australia’s concerns and goals. We commend countries of the European Union, the Buenos Aires group of Latin American countries, and others who have joined with Australia in highlighting, in particular, the necessity for phasing out whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary.
But to date, the response of the whaling countries has not been positive. Recent statements by whaling countries in the Commission have provided Australia with little cause for hope that our serious commitment to conservation of the world’s whales will be reflected in any potential IWC compromise agreement.
The Government has always been firm in our resolve that if we could not find a diplomatic resolution to our differences over this issue, we would pursue legal action. The Government’s action fulfils that commitment.
Australia will remain closely engaged in the IWC process and will continue to work hard in the lead up to and at the IWC meeting in June to pursue our objectives While an outcome at that meeting which meets Australia’s fundamental conservation objectives is slim, the Government will continue to engage constructively in the diplomatic effort.
Australia and Japan share a comprehensive strategic, security and economic partnership. We share a substantial commercial relationship built over many decades, growing strategic and security linkages, and work together closely in key international forums such as the G20, the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and APEC.
The Government’s action today reflects a disagreement in one element of a relationship that is deep, broad and multi-dimensional.
Both Australia and Japan have agreed that, whatever our differences on whaling, this issue should not be allowed to jeopardise the strength and the growth of our bilateral relationship.
At the same time, the Australian Government will keep working tirelessly to achieve an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean, and we will use all legal and diplomatic avenues to achieve our goal.
A formal application will be lodged in The Hague early next week.
Sea Shepherd Response
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society supports the initiative by the government of Australia and views it as a positive development in the effort to end illegal Japanese whaling operations in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
“At last, some action out of Canberra,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We need a definitive international judicial answer to this continuing controversy in the Southern Ocean. We trust that the international court will side with Australia to deliver a stern verdict ordering Japan to cease and desist with their unlawful slaughter of endangered and protected whales inside an internationally established whale sanctuary. We trust the court to understand just what the word ‘sanctuary’ means.”
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is preparing to return to the Southern Ocean in December 2010 for Operation No Compromise, the 7th Sea Shepherd voyage to intercept and intervene against illegal Japanese whaling activities.
“This action by Australia lends further credibility to our in the field intervention activities in the Southern Ocean,” said Captain Paul Watson from Brisbane, Australia.