This is huge news for the protection of whales! The ICJ (International Court of Justice) at The Hague ruled today that Japanese whaling activities in the Antarctic (where the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is located) are not for scientific purposes and therefore, all Japanese whaling permits in that region are to be revoked. This court battle, Australia vs. Japan, has been going on for years and with this landmark decision comes hope that whaling will, one day, be outlawed all over the world.
Captain Paul Watson and his dedicated group, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society USA has worked tirelessly to protect these majestic creatures and you might have seen their plight on Animal Planet series, Whale Wars. Although this is an amazing step, still even more needs to be done to completely end this brutal practice in which these mammals are harpooned, dragged on to sea vessels and dismembered for food sales in Japan and other parts of the world. Also, regions like Norway and Iceland continue to practice whaling, and this mandate doesn’t effect Japan’s whaling activities in the northern Pacific Ocean, but challenges are sure to arise now. So the fight continues, but this is an amazing step in the right direction! Click here to read more about the issue.
