Japan Delays Humpback Whale Slaughter

Campaign spokespersons Hayden Panettiere and Isabel Lucas urge their governments to take further action while urging consumers worldwide not to purchase any japanese made products until japan stops killing all dolphins and whales, not just humpbacks! Pictures credits “Peter Carette ICON Images Jeff Pantukhoff and Kurt Soderling ” On the heels of hearing that Japanese officials had delayed the killing of 50 humpback whales until next season, “Save the Whales Again!” Campaign spokespersons Hayden Panettiere and Isabel Lucas have issued the following statements:

“Although this is good news”, says Campaign spokesperson Hayden Panettiere, “it is not nearly good enough. Even though Japan has stated they will not kill 50 humpbacks whales, they are still planning to kill a 1,000 whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary along with over 20,000 dolphins and small whales in its coastal dolphin drive fisheries over the next 5 months. We call on consumers worldwide to not buy any Japanese made products until Japan stops needlessly killing dolphins and whales and we also call on the US Government to levy economic sanctions against Japan until they end this cruel and needless slaughter.” Recent polls within the US show that over 75% of Americans oppose whaling yet to this point, the Bush Administration has done virtually nothing to stop the increasing slaughter. In Australia, over 85% of Australians oppose whaling and this was a huge issue in the recent elections. Following through on its campaign promise, the newly elected Labor Government recently sent a Demarche to the Japanese Government demanding they immediately recall their whaling fleet. 30 other countries joined onto the Demarche but the US Government, once the most ardent defender of the whales, was conspicuously absent. Along with the demarche, the Australian Government is also sending ships and aircraft to the Southern Ocean to monitor the Japanese whaling fleet.

“Australia is the whale’s first line of defense.” said Australian actress and Campaign spokesperson Isabel Lucas. “Even though the Japanese have delayed the slaughter of 50 humpback whales, they are still going to be killing 935 defenseless minke whales and 50 endangered fin whales in Australian territorial waters unless we stop them. We urge the Labor Government to take further action to protect all the whales by actually enforcing our territorial waters in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.”

Added “Save the Whales Again!” Campaign founder Jeff Pantukhoff. “Please understand, we are not just picking on Japanese whalers here. Their actions have been recently highlighted but let us be clear. We are calling on all consumers not to buy any products made in Japan, Iceland, or Norway until these countries stop killing dolphins and whales.” Scientific studies have shown that dolphin and whale meat is unhealthy for human consumption containing high levels of mercury, DDT, Dioxin, and other contaminates. Elevated levels of mercury have been proven to cause birth defects, neural damage and death. Recent Polls show that less than 1% of the Japanese public regularly eats whale or dolphin meat and only 11% of Japanese public supports whaling while over 77% oppose it.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Write, e-mail, or call President Obama and let him know that you want the US to use its sanctioning powers available under the Pelly Amendment against Japan, Norway, and Iceland until they stop whaling.White House Comment Line: (202) 456-1111. White House Fax Line: (202) 456-2461.

Compose and Send a message directly to President

Obama:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

President Obama’s mailing address:
President Barack Obama, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20500.

2. Write or call your US Representatives and Senators and let them know that you want the US to invoke the Pelly Amendment against Japan, Norway, and Iceland until they stop whaling.

US Capitol Switchboard: (202) 456-1414.