Here We Go Again - Cetacean Society International

Vol. XXIII No. 1
A publication of Cetacean Society International
Summer 2014
Here We Go Again – 65th Annual Meeting of the
International Whaling Commission – IWC/65/Portoroz
By Heather Rockwell, CSI Board of Directors
It’s been two long years since the last meeting of
the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in
Panama in 2012. In early September, the member
nations of the IWC will come together in the coastal
town of Portoroz in Slovenia to once again discuss
and debate the fate of the world’s whales. Much has
transpired during the last two years and a tremendous
amount is at stake for whales this year at the 65th
Annual Meeting of the IWC.
Before looking ahead to IWC/65/Portoroz, here
are a few updates on recent whaling activity around
the world.
In the North Atlantic this summer, Norway has
killed over 680 minke whales (compared to 590
minke whales taken during the 2013 hunt). This is the
first time since 2005 that Norway has killed over 600
whales and they appear on target to hit 700 before the
end of the season. With an alarming increase in
demand and market for whale meat in Norway,
whaling will continue throughout August.
Meanwhile, Iceland has killed 58 fin and 19
minke whales during their summer hunt in the North
Atlantic. These numbers are down considerably from
the 2013 hunt. Pressure has been put on companies
that deal with fish and seafood products not to buy
these products from businesses that are affiliated with
or owned by Icelandic whalers. Iceland has also
encountered difficulties with the export and shipping
of whale meat to Japan, thanks to this increased
pressure from the general public and anti-whaling
activists around the world.
In the western North Pacific in late July, Japan
concluded its scientific whaling program (JARPNII)
that began in April. Despite reducing the JARPNII
quotas after the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
ruling on their illegal hunt in the Antarctic, Japan still
killed 90 sei and 25 Bryde’s whales. If Japan has their
way, they will be resuming their illegal scientific
whaling in the Antarctic in 2015/2016 regardless of
the ICJ decision.
So, what can we expect in Portoroz? Jeannine
Compton-Antoine of St. Lucia, the current Chair of
the IWC and not a friend to whales, informed all
attendees she wants to run a more efficient, organized
meeting. She expects most debate on substantive
issues to be addressed in Sub-Committee meetings
and the Private Commissioners meeting prior to the
start of Plenary. Whether delegates comply with the
Chair’s request and agree to play nice remains to be
seen.
Official documents for Commission consideration during Plenary, including Schedule amendments
and resolutions, had to be submitted to the IWC
Secretariat by July 17th. What follows is a synopsis
of the most interesting and important documents,
including several that we have seen at past IWC
meetings, that will come up for review before the full
Commission.
The collective group of South American countries, known as the Buenos Aires Group, along with
South Africa, will once again put forth their proposal
for a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary to the Commission. Non-lethal whale research in this region has
been ongoing for years and proves that whales do not
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 2
need to be killed in order to gain greater scientific data
and knowledge about them. Let’s hope that Commission
members will finally reach consensus and support the
establishment of this sanctuary, as it is unclear whether
the Buenos Aires Group has enough countries behind
them if it comes down to a vote.
Japan’s proposal to hunt minke whales from the
Okhotsk Sea West Pacific stock is on the table again this
year. This proposal is a thinly veiled attempt by Japan to
create a new category of whaling (Small-Type Coastal
Whaling) that is a combination of commercial and
aboriginal subsistence whaling, and is completely unnecessary. Repeated attempts by Japan to push this proposal
through at past meetings have been met with resounding
opposition by the majority of anti-whaling countries.
However, the low quota numbers that Japan has put forth
in this year’s proposal does raise concerns about whether
they are maneuvering to get this new category of whaling
accepted in exchange for lowering catch limits in their
scientific whaling programs.
After failing to secure an aboriginal subsistence
whaling (ASW) quota for their natives at
IWC/64/Panama, Greenland is back with a new ASW
proposal and needs statement, as well as plenty of support
Whales Alive!
A publication of Cetacean Society International
Editor: Brent S. Hall
CSI is an all-volunteer, non-profit, tax-exempt
organization with contacts in over 25 countries. Our
mission is to advocate for and protect cetaceans from
harm and harassment, to increase public awareness,
and preserve their well-being and that of the marine
environment. We support and promote benign activities
such as regulated whale watching, nonlethal and
humane research, and widespread educational,
environmental programs relating to free-roaming
cetaceans internationally. Our ultimate objective is the
global acceptance of peaceful coexistence and mutual
enrichment for both humans and cetaceans.
Cetacean Society International
P.O. Box 953, Georgetown, CT 06829 U.S.A.
Phone: 203-770-8615 Fax: 860-561-0187
E-Mail: info@csiwhalesalive.org
Web: csiwhalesalive.org
CSI is a member of WhaleNet
President: A. Daniel Knaub
Vice-President: Jessica L. Dickens
Treasurer: Rachel DeCavage
Secretary: Patricia Sullivan
Executive Director: William W. Rossiter
from the European Union. Both the IWC Chair and the
U.S. have assisted Greenland with putting together this
new proposal that requests takes of 19 fin, 176 minke, 2
bowhead and 10 humpback whales from 2015 through
2018. The European Commission seems to be wholeheartedly behind Greenland’s new efforts despite the lack
of consistent whaling data, the commercialization of this
hunt, and inadequate needs statement.
Several West African countries have submitted a
resolution on food security and economic relief. The three
countries pushing the resolution – Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire,
Guinea and Mali – are well-known puppets of Japan that
receive “overseas development aid” and IWC travel
money from Japan. For some strange reason, these
countries always vote along with Japan and are often seen
being led around by Japanese delegates at IWC meetings.
This resolution conflicts with existing international
agreements and environmental policies, along with being
misplaced in the IWC given that fisheries issues are not
covered by the Commission. However, you have to give
credit to these countries for trying to help Japan with their
never ending “whales are eating all the fish” argument.
Chile has submitted a resolution calling for greater
transparency and participation by civil society, i.e. us
Non-Governmental Observers (NGOs), in IWC proceedings. Given the important role NGOs play in most other
international treaty arenas, the IWC is positively primitive
in their treatment of NGOs. From closed door dealings
to censoring of NGO statements, the Commission has
consistently shown a lack of respect for NGOs. This
resolution deserves to be supported by all member nations
of the IWC.
Perhaps the single most important resolution in
Slovenia will be the one from New Zealand titled “Whaling Under Special Permit.” Following on the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in March stating that Japan
end its illegal Antarctic “scientific” whaling program as
it was not being conducted for purposes of scientific
research, this resolution seeks to keep the pressure on
Japan to comply with the judgment and put more constraints on any future special permit proposals that may
come before the Scientific Committee and the Commission. Japan and its allies will do their best to change
language in this resolution and block its acceptance by
consensus.
What can be expected of the U.S. delegation in
Slovenia? Who knows? More than likely, the U.S. will
support Greenland’s ASW proposal as a means of bringing Greenland back in to the ASW fold along with Russia
and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Word that the U.S.
was involved with crafting language for a resolution that
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 3
would have supported Japan’s continued scientific
whaling program in the Antarctic was deeply disturbing.
Let’s hope the U.S. ensures there are no language changes
that would undermine the ICJ ruling and pushes for
consensus on the New Zealand resolution.
CSI has funded my participation as their NGO
observer to IWC meetings since 2000. And, thankfully, with the assistance of members and generous
donors like you, I will be CSI’s representative again
this year at the IWC Plenary meeting in September in
Slovenia. However, it is CSI’s reputation for funding
and supporting NGOs and scientists from South and
Central America to the IWC Scientific Committee and
the IWC Plenary meetings that I find most rewarding.
In 2014, CSI supported the participation of Dr.
Barbara Galletti and Dr. Enrique Crespo at the IWC
Scientific Committee meeting in May in Bled, Slovenia. CSI is supporting the travel and participation of
Elsa Cabrera (Chile), Jose Truda Palazzo Jr. (Brazil),
Rodrigo Garcia (Uruguay delegation) and Yolanda
Alaniz (Mexico delegation) in the IWC Plenary
meeting in September. I have had the pleasure of
working alongside all four of these passionate whale
advocates for many years and I look forward to
working with my Southern Hemisphere colleagues
once again in Slovenia to ensure greater protection for
the world’s whales. - Heather Rockwell
President’s Message
By A. Daniel Knaub
The world is in
turmoil yet some
people still fight to save
whales. The oceans,
like the air we breathe,
belong to us all. Whales
have
been
called
Ambassadors without
passports due to many
species having lengthy
migrations of hundreds
or even thousands of
miles. They feed, breed
and give birth in waters belonging to various countries.
When you think of whales, do you immediately
think of blue whales or humpback whales or the colorful
Amazon River dolphins? I don't. I think of Salt, Colt,
Sockeye and Thorn. I became involved in this fight to
protect whales, because I met a few individual whales
with names, unique personalities and experienced their
interest in people.
If you spent a little time with Salt (a great-grandmother), Colt (the friendliest whale in the world),
Sockeye (surviving a deformed upper jaw against all
odds), and Thorn (blessed with a talent for blowing
amazing and entertaining perfect bubble rings near
boats) you might care a little more as well.
You can meet them too, just visit
http://www.whalevideo.com/whaleswithnames.htm
Why are they important? Whales are all part of a
food chain and not much is known about their role,
except that they play an important part. Many cultures
and countries depend on getting their food from the
oceans – the oceans that supported millions more
whales than survive today. Whalers kept good records
and at least two million large whales were harpooned
and used for oil, food and other products over the last
few centuries.
The easiest question to answer is why whales?
Whales are magnificent animals and just a quick visit
with one can make you a fan for life. If we can't or just
are too busy to help preserve the lives of individual
whales, let alone a species, what chance do any other
animals have?
Can one person make a difference? YES. Can you
make a difference? Yes, you can.
I am blessed with a motivated and passionate slate
of Officers and a Board of Directors full of talent and
drive. All of us at CSI donate time and our skills every
day because these animals deserve our best.
We are all volunteers and we also search for
outstanding young individuals in the academic community to help meet our goals (currently students at
American University are assisting with graphic design
and video projects).
On behalf of the Officers and Directors of CSI, I
would like to acknowledge and thank each of you for
joining, donating and adopting whales to provide much
needed funding for our carefully vetted financial
support of projects to protect whales all over the world.
We hope to meet many of you at our Wild Oceans
Benefit Fashion Show hosted by the Custom House
Maritime Museum of New London on September 13th
to celebrate our beautiful wild oceans and the species
we work tirelessly to protect.
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 4
September 13, 2014 –
Save The Date!
Join the board for our 40th Anniversary Year
Wild Oceans Benefit Fashion Show
In collaboration with the New London Custom
House Maritime Museum, CSI will be bringing you
an evening of music, arts and fashion to celebrate
our continued work to protect marine mammals.
New London was once the fourth largest whaling
city in the United States. Today, the Custom
House aims to educate its guests on the history of
the region, while making peace with the whales.
On September 13, they’ll be hosting this very
special event on their outdoor patio overlooking
the beautiful Long Island Sound.
VIP guests will have an opportunity to explore the
Custom House’s culture rich galleries, enjoy complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres, listen to live
music and mingle with directors of CSI’s board.
VIP guests will also have the first look at some of
our amazing silent auction items including whale
watch cruises, one of a kind artwork and a personal tour of California's wine country by the
owner of Emeritus Vineyards in Sebastopol.
General admission begins at 7:30 pm and guests
can peruse the Custom House before the runway
show kicks off at 8:00 pm sharp. If you’ve never
been to a fashion show, or have been to more
than you can count, this event is sure to impress!
We’ve divided the show into three sections including casual, ballroom and trashion (wearable
fashion made from clean waste). In between collections, guests will have time to submit their
names for a vast array of raffle items, and put final
bids in for the silent auction.
All designs in the show are handmade by Rachel
DeCavage, a CSI director for 3+ years, current
board treasurer and chair-person of the 40th Anniversary Committee. Rachel has participated in
over 50 fashion shows in the past ten years and
regularly produces public events. She owns a lowimpact printing and fashion company and is committed to a social enterprise business model. All
looks included in the Wild Oceans show will be for
sale with 100% of proceeds to benefit CSI.
This is an exclusive event with limited tickets!
Please visit http://WildOceansCSI.bpt.me today to
reserve your seats.
Wild Oceans Benefit Fashion Show
Saturday September 13th
6:30 pm VIP Admission
7:30 pm General Admission
Custom House Maritime Museum
150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320
Working for Whales Worldwide since 1974.
War of the Whales
By William Rossiter
This book is a must-read for
anyone concerned about what
active military sonar seems to
be doing to whales and their
kin. Whether you’re new to the
war or a veteran you’ll be fascinated by Joshua Horwitz’s comprehensive and absorbing story
of how the U.S. Navy is waging
an undeclared war on cetaceans,
and how far the Navy has gone
(that we know about) to use mid
and low frequency sonar wherever and whenever it wishes.
Spoiler alert: this book is not forgiving to the Navy, and
no, the war is not about National Security.
Horwitz tells the story through two people we all
admire at the center of and deeply committed to this war:
Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research and Joel
Reynolds of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Ken’s commitment is propelled by his personal and
scientific experiences with beaked whales, orcas and
harbor porpoises harmed or killed by mid-frequency
active sonar (MFAS). Joel’s began when the Navy’s low
frequency active sonar (SURTASS-LFASS a.k.a. LFAS)
surfaced in 1994, propelled ever since by his solid
commitment to the Law and Justice, not always the same
thing. Horwitz uses facts and interviews with scientists,
military and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials to amplify the personal
accounts that drive a clear conclusion that NOAA is
unable or unwilling to fulfill its responsibilities to conserve and protect cetaceans, and the U.S. Navy has chosen
not to effectively mitigate harm to cetaceans.
Having been concerned personally and on behalf of
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 5
CSI since the mid-90’s this book brought much back to
me that I’ve witnessed, with so many new revelations.
One memory to add here was a then-successful effort to
convince the Navy not to employ the LFAS off the East
Coast of the U.S. Credit that to Dr. Charles “Stormy”
Mayo, Chief Scientist at the Center for Coastal Studies
and world authority on right whales, who joined me in
the bowels of the Pentagon to brief two commanders with
his quiet but expert litany of the whales’ vulnerabilities.
The Navy listened then, but the Administration’s recent
support of offshore energy development is of great
concern to right whale scientists. The book also should
have given credit to Antonio Fernández, DVM, PhD, the
Canary Islands vet who responded to a beaked whale
mass stranding with such energy, innovation and professionalism that the rigorous protocols for sampling tissues
were sufficient to link the stranding to Neo Tapon 2002,
a NATO naval exercise with 58 surface vessels, six
submarines, and 30 aircraft engaged in a mock war even
as the first whales stranded.
You may have read headlines and alerts that must be
mistaken: can it be true that military sonar tests and
training are permitted to harm marine life 31.4 million
times over a five year permit period, including almost
1,000 deaths and more that 5,000 deaf cetaceans (as if
deaf whales can survive)? Yes, according to revised Navy
models which, if applied to previous years, declare that
the Navy’s toll on marine life has been this bad or worse
for many years. More to the point, the Navy is not doing
anything meaningful to lower the impacts, unless those
actions are classified. Despite an enormous investment
of taxpayer dollars by the Office of Naval Research
(ONR) to quantify the probability of harm to cetaceans,
the Navy operates as if it doesn’t matter. A recent
example in April was the live stranding of seven Cuvier’s
beaked whales on Crete, while Greek, Israeli and U.S.
warships fought Operation Noble Dina over the Hellenic
Trench, the habitat of the whales that stranded and died
and an unknown number that probably died without
coming ashore.
Did the U.S. push Greece in 2013 to object to
restrictions to sonar use over the Hellenic Trench, which
was recommended by the Scientific Committee of ACCOBAMS (an agreement for the conservation of whales and
dolphins in the Mediterranean and Black Seas)? The Navy
knows what science knows: beaked whales need such
areas to survive, and they may not survive sonar operations.
The surface reasons for the Navy to appear to ignore
the harm that they do include National Security and their
Mission, both based on the premise that anti-submarine
warfare is an active and ongoing war. Because hard won
environmental laws were interfering with waging this
“war”, the Navy successfully led an assault on many laws
that unleashed many environmental exploiters. The
Marine Mammal Protection Act was gutted of constraints
on naval operations, with priorities now for “personnel
safety, practicality of implementation, and impact on the
effectiveness of the military readiness activity”. If the
MMPA still gets in the way a simple letter between
Cabinet Secretaries will allow any activity.
War of the Whales suggests instead that the prime
reason for the Navy’s intransigence may be its culture,
where “culture” is defined as resisting change. As society
and law changed to prioritize the conservation and
protection of valued resources the Navy’s operational
freedoms were pressured. Almost as if resentful many in
top command positions today are focused on the “Navy
First”, seeming to forget about the oceans and ignore
whales. Despite recent trends in our nation’s worldwide
influence, the Secretary of the Navy recently said: "the
US Navy has the responsibility for all the world's oceans".
While this attitude is likely to be disputed by many other
nations, the book shows how it fosters a flow down the
chain to deflect blame, neutralize criticism, and carry on
regardless of regulations, requirements, or public and
political concerns. For decades the Navy didn’t even
apply for permits from the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) which, once they were asked, has never
refused a Navy permit request. This “Navy First” dictum
is evident in initial media releases after some suspicious
event, and the legal and political battles that consume
public funds and Navy resources (since 1996 CSI has
been a co-plaintiff in several suits opposing naval sonar:
LFAS I and II, and several MFAS operations and ongoing
test and training permits).
We know that many sonar-related people in or
contracted to the Navy are concerned with unnecessary
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 6
“collateral damage”. They know the Navy need not do
such damage to accomplish the mission, that more
effective mitigation is possible. Until the top command
levels hear and believe them the killing will continue. To
be clear, there may be classified operational efforts to
mitigate sonar, and some experts with adequate security
clearances may be documenting the results. The only
evidence may be a reduction in known events because,
oddly enough, the Navy’s culture may prevent us from
ever knowing that they are trying.
Read War of the Whales for fascinating details about
the research by hundreds of experts over decades to
understand cetacean sounds, human sounds a handful of
Navy-owned cetaceans might endure before becoming
deaf, and why beaked whales may react to sonar in ways
that kill them. Almost all of that research has been paid
for by taxpayers’ dollars through the Office of Naval
Research, so much in fact that very, very few U.S.
scientists working on sound can say they have received
no Navy money. The implied conflict of interest seems
bolstered by the caveats in some sonar-related papers
which, if applied to a drunk driver causing a head-on
collision that kills a child, would conclude that the child
died by impacting the dashboard. Under these rules fewer
than 15 sonar events have caused beaked whale mass
strandings, while the Smithsonian Institution and International Whaling Commission assert that every beaked
whale mass stranding on record everywhere in the world
has occurred with naval activities, usually sonar, taking
place in the vicinity. Sonar science has left many
unknowns and ignored the Precautionary Principle.
War of the Whales doesn’t have many examples of
research on behavioral responses of wild cetaceans to
MFAS, because very few have been tried. Most were
focused on beaked whales. One suggested that beaked
whales were evading what they thought was an orca, so
now the default “sonar-sound-a-like” villains are orcas.
Few planned experiments have used real MFAS. A few
tagged animals of very few species now represent all
cetaceans. No projects have documented behaviors of
large groups of dolphins. Most behavioral response
studies happen where sonar use is common, such as
during submarine training near Hawaii, or special sonar
ranges, places where cetaceans might be accommodated
to sonar. None allow science to compare behaviors of
cetaceans that may be familiar with the sounds versus
others (throughout the world’s oceans) that may not be
conditioned to MFAS. No one has a clue about how some
individuals might be more fearful of MFAS than others,
or whether social groups could become panicked by
distant MFAS signals heard just above ambient levels, a
very long way from the source, or by a vessel’s behavior
that might convince cetaceans the monster is getting
closer. Opportunistic social media videos show dolphin
groups at high speed, as if fleeing, or charging onto
beaches, but they don’t show why.
To date the most revealing behavioral evidence has
come from opportunistic expert observations like Ken
Balcomb’s witness to the USS Shoup’s Salish Sea
passage. Ken documented reactions of three species as
the Shoup’s sonar was recorded in Puget Sound’s virtual
echo chamber. Orcas he knew on sight lifted their heads
out of the water as if in pain, harbor porpoises and a minke
tried to swim away rapidly, and several porpoises
stranded dead. Orca don’t prey on orcas, so perhaps the
powerful and unknown monster simply evoked fear and
pain as it passed, screaming.
MFAS does sound like a screaming monster. That’s
an emotive, unscientific statement, so you be the judge.
This link (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s89x9nseql08
l5d/ AAAySkwbTxIidD6-yqAiDtvda) includes five short
samples of MFAS in WAV and MP3 formats, selected
by CSI Director Paul Knapp from 74mb and 180mb high
quality WAV recordings by Dr. Hal Whitehead of
Dalhousie University. Dr. Whitehead in June was listening for sperm whales about 65nm SE of Charleston, NC
when his vessel passed 7-10nm from the USS Farragut,
DDG 99, an Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile
Destroyer listed as using the AN/SQS-53C MFAS, a very
common military sonar first deployed almost 20 years
ago. The two types of sonar signals are the loud screams,
with Dr. Whitehead's vessel noises as a background. He
said the sounds were very loud, clearly heard through the
hull, and there was no gain in the onboard preamp for the
recordings.
Mitigation of sonar impacts should not affect national
security or the mission, but it might cost more to move
assets to limited locations for tests and training. Until
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 7
disproved, some working assumptions might be that
cetaceans: fear sonar signals; react according to individual
tolerance levels and their group’s threat response; may
respond to sonar sounds received near ambient in ways
that cause harm; may flee or be blocked from their
populations’ essential habitat or behaviors; but can
accommodate to the sounds in the short term by pre-test
or exercise warnings that use lower power level signals
(ramp up); and scientists with adequate clearances could
be briefed in time for them to be on-scene observing wild
cetaceans they are familiar with for “blind” observations
of behavior that may cue us all to what they do and don’t
react to; or be on alert to react to strandings.
MFAS is here to stay, improvements to finding
submarines are likely to increase impacts on marine life,
and mitigation needs should be taken seriously. There is
no justification for a war on whales.
Stronger Protection for
Russian Belugas Moves
Forward!
The National Marine Fisheries Service announced on
August 1st a positive 60-day finding on a petition to
designate the Sakhalin Bay-Amur River beluga whale
population in the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia, as depleted
under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
The petition was submitted by the Animal Welfare
Institute (AWI), Whale and Dolphin Conservation
(WDC), Cetacean Society International (CSI), and the
International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of the
Earth Island Institute in April. The petition was submitted
to seek additional protections for this beluga population,
which is the principal target of an ongoing global trade
in live whales for the captive display industry.
A growing number of belugas are captured every year
from this population for sale to countries such as China.
Currently this population is the only source of whales for
the international live trade. In 2013, over 100 belugas
were removed from this single population, a number well
in excess of what scientists believe would jeopardize its
long-term survival. A depleted designation under the
MMPA will stimulate research and conservation efforts
by the United States and foreign governments, conservation organizations, the scientific community, and funding
institutions to help recover these belugas and protect their
habitat.
With this positive 60-day finding (http://www.federal
register.gov/articles/2014/08/01/2014-18225/petition-todesignate-sakhalin-bay-amur-river-beluga-whales-stockas-depleted-under-the-marine), the National Marine Fisheries Service must begin a status review, due in midNovember, of the Sakhalin-Amur population of belugas.
Take advantage now of the public comment period, open
until September 2, 2014, to submit information the agency
should consider in its status review. AWI, WDC, CSI,
and IMMP will be submitting additional scientific and
trade information to inform this process.
Media Contact: Dr. Naomi Rose, Animal Welfare
Institute, (202) 446-2120 or naomi@awionline.org
Captive Cetaceans From
Japan’s Dolphin Drives
The dolphin slaughters in Taiji, Japan are sustained
by profits from captures of dolphins sold for display. This
chart by Sakae Hemmi of the Elsa Nature Conservancy
shows the decrease in total numbers killed and the
increasing numbers captured for display.
CSI is working with Elsa Nature Conservancy, Ocean
Care, Save Japan Dolphins, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and a growing coalition working to stop the rising
trend and profits that keep the drives alive and killing
dolphins. As a member of CSI you are part of this!
One way we’re working to stop that trade is to
pressure the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(WAZA) to evict members that purchase Taiji dolphins.
However, the priority for WAZA’s Executive Director,
Dr. Gerald Dick, is not to cause conflict within WAZA.
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 8
He’s waffled and wriggled his way around any attempt
to enforce WAZA’s 2004 “Resolution on the Interpretation of the Code of Ethics and Animal Welfare: Members
must adhere to the WAZA Code of Ethics and Animal
Welfare and ensure that they do not accept animals
obtained by the use of methods which are inherently cruel.
An example of such a practice is the catching of dolphins
by the use of a method known as 'drive fishing'.”
This spring CSI wrote a letter to many WAZA
members briefing them on the situation, and another
together with Whale and Dolphin Conservation
(whales.org), but received no responses.
To help Dr. Dick change his preference for “dialog”
over action CSI helped Sakea Hemmi to travel from Japan
to WAZA’s headquarters in Switzerland for a face to face
meeting on March 28th, where she made it clear that the
drive hunts of Taiji are neither tradition nor culture, as
Dick urges people to believe. She also presented a petition
signed by over 140,000 people demanding that the
Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums be expelled
from WAZA unless its member facilities are prohibited
from buying Taiji dolphins. To see Ric O’Barry’s short
presentation related to this meeting see: https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=0SAASKwjH5Q&list=UUO0LQ
3lNr0GX9qXQWLPmdww, and since that’s too much to
type, go to YouTube and type: “Captures of dolphins for
dolphinaria industry is economic underpinning of annual
slaughter in Taiji”. German and Japanese versions also
are available.
The next round was on August 10th, in Tokyo, where
Sakae and representatives from four other Japanese
organizations met with Kazutoshi Arai, president of
Kamogawa Sea World and president of the Japanese
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA), and Dr.
Dick for WAZA. Backed by over 170 Japanese organizations representing a new national coalition opposed to
captive cetacean display, Sakae Hemmi negotiated with
JAZA to stop its members from purchasing dolphins
captured in Taiji. This newsletter went to print just before
this meeting, so we can’t report the results, but we’re
betting that JAZA will refuse to agree, and WAZA will
refuse to evict JAZA, so we’re already planning the next
round.
This Baird's beaked whale is one of two killed at the
end of June, of the 30 allowed in 2014 by the Japanese
government. In a classic ploy to desensitize school
children and local residents at Wada port in Minamiboso,
Tokyo, they will be treated to these displays and flensing
operations to promote their consumption of the meat.
Photo: Issei Kato/Reuters
Since 2011 CSI has supported Japan’s Elsa Nature
Conservancy to have the meat tested for contaminants,
which found some total mercury levels were almost four
times, and methyl mercury levels almost three times
government limits.
The Newsfeed
By Taffy Lee Williams
SEAWORLD LOSING PARTNERS: Urged by
animal rights activists, Southwest has ended its 25-year
marketing relationship with SeaWorld. Under the agreement, Southwest will remove the SeaWorld animals
painted on their airplanes, and SeaWorld will remove
Southwest Airline signs in its parks. (http://www.
nytimes.com/aponline/2014/07/31/us/ap-us-southwestseaworld.html?emc=eta1&_r=1)
SeaWorld is still reeling from the film “Blackfish”
which exposed the conditions and suffering of captive
orcas; Taco Bell has also ended its SeaWorld partnership;
and the global agency STA Travel, with bookings for
some 2.5 million students and young people, announced
that visits to SeaWorld are “not available for sale in our
reservation systems as of 22 May.” One day in early
August, stocks were down 24%, while performing artists,
including Willie Nelson and Heart continue to cancel
shows.
ANOTHER SEAWORLD LAWSUIT: SUNBURNT
ORCAS ROUTINELY PAINTED BLACK TO HIDE
PEELING SKIN. PETA has filed a complaint with the
USDA after learning that SeaWorld trainers are required
to routinely paint black zinc oxide sunscreen on the skin
of orcas to cover prior sunburns. Orcas travel in cloudy
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 9
ocean water that offers protection from the sun. In
captivity there is little or no escape from often blistering
sun’s rays in clear chlorinated tank water. One trainer
reported that “burnt layers of his skin would peel off in
her hands.” (https://www.thedodo.com/usda-complaintfiled-over-seaw-641021639.html)
FINLAND ACTIVISTS WANT THE DOLPHINARIUM IN TAMPERE CLOSED: Even the Environment
Minister is calling for Finland’s Tampere dolphinarium
to close following July protests. The dolphins are kept at
the Särkänniemi amusement park, in indoor tanks in
conditions described as a cold, sunless horror show for
dolphins. http://yle.fi/uutiset/environment_minister_
calls_for_tampere_dolphin_attraction_to_close/7366975
CHINA’S CETACEAN WOES: China Hangzhou
Polar World recently imported two pilot whales from
Japan (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-06/09/
content_17573457.htm) and on June, 2014, three wildcaught beluga whales arrived at the Harbin Polar World.
(http://news.hexun.com/2014-06-11/165598322.html)
Harbin has reported that one of the whales has stopped
eating, allegedly from mandibular fractures resulting
either from transport or the condition of the whale before
its internment at Harbin.
CYPRUS DOLPHINARIUM? Activists have been
alerted to applications by foreign investors to license a
dolphinarium in Cyprus. A decree passed in 1997 prohibiting commercial use of cetaceans and shows in Cyprus
led to the closing of Ayia Napa Marine Park, a dolphin
park which had imported four Black Sea bottlenose
dolphins in 1994. By 1998, after just four years at Ayia
Napa, the four dolphins and one sea lion had died, and
another sea lion returned to the Russian Academy of
Science. Although the import of cetaceans and these types
of entertainment activities are now prohibited in Cyprus,
activists are concerned as officials appear to be taking the
new applications seriously. http://incyprus.philenews.
com/en-gb/Top-Stories-News/4342/42571/captivity-concerns
MIAMI SEAQUARIUM HAS BEEN FINED for
allowing employes to work in the water with its solitary
orca, LOLITA. The OSHA citation states, “The employer
did not furnish (a work place) free from recognized
hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or
serious physical harm (from) struck-by and drowning
hazards.” Lolita has been the subject of litigation as a
member of an Endangered Species, being housed in
solitary, and substandard housing (small tank), which she
has endured for 44 years. http://www.takepart.com/
article/2014/07/24/miami-seaquarium--hit-with-fine-
mishandling-killer-whales?cmpid=tpdaily-eml-2014-0725
MARINELAND, NIAGARA FALLS: ORCA HELL.
The solitary Icelandic orca, KISKA, has spent the last 37
years of her life at what is one of the worst marine
mammal facilities in the world. Kiska hasn’t seen another
orca since 2011, when her companion was sent back to
SeaWorld. The whale is reportedly in bad shape, with a
disintegrating dorsal fin, a distinct depression behind her
blowhole (“Peanut head” syndrome”), and teeth ground
to the gumline. One ex-Marineland employee and whistleblower, Phil Demers, has stated that Kiska’s “spirit is
broken,” and that she has been on a wide array of
medications, antifungals, antibiotics and valium. They
also have seen “new cuts and abrasions” surface on
Kiska’s body, no doubt from rubbing against the pool’s
sharp circumference. Marineland has been the object of
much public criticism recently for poor overall conditions, including illegal and secret mass burials of dead
animals. http://www.digitaljournal.com/
news/environment/killer-whale-at-marineland-appearsto-be-ailing/article/392948#ixzz38myfkobs
BAHAMAS SUPREME COURT SHUTS DOWN
BLACKBEARD’S CAY DOLPHINARIUM! A Caribbean judge has ruled that eight dolphins were imported
to the Bahamas (from Honduras) in violation of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act, before proper permits
were issued. Documents revealed the prime minister, the
minister of agriculture, town planning committee and
others violated the law when issuing building permits to
applicant Blue Illusions Limited while in opposition to
the Planning and Subdivision Act. Activists from reEarth
in the Bahamas collected 65,000 signatures for the release
of the dolphins. The judge in the case enforced the
MMPA which states that dolphins may not be imported
for display in the Bahamas, then ordered the dolphins
freed. There are 70 dolphins currently housed in three
facilities in the Bahamas. http://www.thenassauguardian.
com/bahamas-business/40-bahamas-business/48875group-wins-fight-against-blackbeards-cayUNFORGETTABLE FOR DOLPHINS IN
MEXICO: Tulum-Akumal, a new Dolphin Discovery
facility in the Riviera Maya area boasts “a lifetime
opportunity to learn about, view, and play with Atlantic
Bottlenose Dolphins.” More of the pro-captivity, proswim-with hype is everything a dolphin would rather
forget. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2040420#ixzz
39OOIKHuk
WHALES IN DANGER AS OBAMA LIFTS 30YEAR BAN ON EAST COAST OFFSHORE OIL
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 10
EXPLORATION. From Delaware to Florida, every 10
seconds, 24/7, sonic blasts 100 times more powerful than
jet engines will blast the ocean floor. Nine companies are
lined up for oil exploration on the East Coast with the
acoustic barrage likely to begin in early 2015; offshore
drilling by the 2020’s. Experts are warning that marine
life cannot withstand the energy and explosive acoustic
force required for this seismic activity and drilling.
http://news.yahoo.com/whales-dolphins-danger-obamaadministration-approves-offshore-oil-213219757.html
NEW JERSEY ACOUSTIC ATTACK. Rutgers
University and the University of Texas are participating
in a federally funded study to map ocean floor sediments
using seismic air gun arrays to study climate changes over
the past 60 million years. New Jersey’s Dept. of Environmental Protection sued NMFS/NOAA to stop the blasting
but lost its appeal in mid-July. Activities will project 250+
dB from seismic air gun array blasts 11,500 ft underground every 5 seconds, 24/7, for 34 days. Environmentalists, and a coalition of tourism, boating and fishing
industry groups say the acoustic explosions, which will
cover 230 square miles of seabed, will cripple wildlife
and fishing activities, while hundreds rallied at the
Barnegat Light in Ocean County, citing concerns for
marine mammals, turtles, and all marine life. Twenty-six
species of cetaceans that frequent the NJ offshore waters
will be impacted. US Rep. Frank Pallone likens the
project to “what I call pre-drilling activities, the things
that lead to oil and gas drilling,” activities they have been
“trying to stop for a long time.” http://patch.com/newjersey/barnegat-manahawkin/new-jersey-will-sue-fedsover-seismic-ocean-blasting#.U99nvFZq4r4
TILILEAKS REVEALS SEAWORLD COMPLACENCY EVEN AFTER ONE TRAINER’S DEATH:
Tim Zimmerman’s expose on Russ Rector’s investigative
work uncovers more of the ugly truth about Tilikum and
his Sealand mates, Haida and Nootka, purchased by
SeaWorld after one of Sealand’s trainers, Keltie Byrne,
was killed by the trio after falling into the orca pool.
SeaWorld’s analysis of Byrne’s death and the purchase
of the three killer whales involved is a reflection that well,
after all, this was “a non-SeaWorld facility,” the orcas’
behavior is now “balanced,” and that “no special actions
are needed to augment regular SeaWorld procedures.”
SeaWorld purchased Tilikum fully aware of the Byrne
killing. The whale was later responsible for the death of
Daniel Dukes, a tourist that ended up in Tilikum’s pool
after hours, and later, the tragic and very public death of
trainer Dawn Brancheau. https://www.thedodo.com/
tilileaks-exclusive-documents--630572943.html
SEAWORLD SEX STINGS? YES, IT REALLY
CAN GET WORSE! Two employees from SeaWorld,
five from Universal Studios and at least thirty-five from
the Disney Orlando theme parks were recently caught in
undercover sex stings involving children. In all fairness,
none of the sexually explicit activities took place at the
theme parks. http://fox4kc.com/2014/07/14/theme-parkemployees-from-disney-universal-studios-and-seaworldcaught-in-sex-stings/
WRITERS SAYING “NO THANKS” TO DOLPHIN
ENCOUNTERS! The TBEX Convention has been
described as “the world’s largest gathering of travel
bloggers, writers, new media content creators, and social
media savvy travel industry professionals.” However,
journalists were outraged when organizers of this year’s
event in Cancun, Mexico, arranged training, swimming
with and being pulled by dolphins. One writer blasted,
“As professional travel writers and bloggers who have
influence in the travel and gap year industry, we have a
responsibility to hold ourselves and our profession up to
a higher standard when it comes to wildlife tourism, by
not supporting any activity, excursion or organisation that
exploits or harms animals for tourist pleasure” (Michael
Huxley, of BemusedBackpacker.com). The animal
friendly RIGHT-tourism campaign is led by Care for the
Wild International. CEO Philip Mansbridge commented,
“It’s perhaps a positive sign that this discussion is even
taking place - not many years ago people wouldn’t have
thought twice about going on one of these activities.”
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/writers
boycott.html#cr
SEAWORLD HACKERS CAN’T GET ENOUGH!
In early June SeaWorld’s Facebook page described itself
as a “Prison & Correctional Facility.” After SeaWorld
made corrections, hackers struck again and the facility
was back on Facebook describing itself as a “Pet Cemetery.”http://www.earthintransition.org/2014/06/seaworldbecomes-a-laughing-stock/
I WOULDN’T LET MY PET PIGEON VISIT LORO
PARQUE! Two months before Dawn Brancheau’s death
at SeaWorld, Orlando, a 14-year-old orca, Keto, at Loro
Parque on Tenerife, Spain, attacked and killed whale
trainer Alexis Martinez. Two years prior, another Loro
Parque trainer just barely survived a brutal orca attack.
On June 3, 2014, a veterinarian from Loro Parque saw an
employee in a gorilla suit, thought it was a real gorilla,
and shot him with a tranquilizer dart. The employee
survived but was rushed to the hospital with an allergic
reaction. The incident is being investigated.
http://www.earthintransition.org/2014/06/seaworld-
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 11
becomes-a-laughing-stock/
Petitions We Like
By Taffy Lee Williams
The increase of seismic testing for oil exploration in
Irish waters has led to calls for necropsy of stranded
cetaceans in Irish waters. The petition is to the Minister
Heather Humphries, in charge of wildlife protection in
Ireland. http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/
Minister_Jimmy_Deenahan_Irish_government_Minister
_for_protecting_wildlife_Do_post_mortems_to_discove
r_why_whale_and_dolp/
In the words of petition author, Emily Reimal: “I have
a two year old nephew whom I love very dearly. We live
right by the beach in Southern California and I am proud
to say he already has a great love of the ocean and the
creatures that live there. He also loves watching Nick Jr.
Unfortunately, Viacom (the owner of Nick Jr.) is showing
SeaWorld commercials for my nephew and all of the kids
who watch Nick Jr. to see. SeaWorld knows that people
are realizing the abuses happening in their parks. Running
commercials on kid’s channels is an obvious attempt to
create future support by targeting the youngest generation, the minds most easily influenced by advertisements.
Kid’s channels are inappropriate venues for controversial
issues.” http://www.change.org/petitions/nickelodeonstop-letting-seaworld-manipulate-ourkids?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&ut
m_campaign=110485&alert_id=VNPTQBKveA_0PZ4
V0d0OUbRS35qLAH60z0jGaKTSzUSqVTOX1pIMW
I%3D
A Petition to STOP THE NEMO DOLPHINARIUM
IN PHUKET, THAILAND which has reportedly received
several dolphins from the infamous Taiji killing cove and
Japanese drive fishery. http://www.change.org/petitions/
phuket-tourism-board-stop-the-nemo-dolphinarium-inphuket-thailand
Sena Wazer:
An Inspiration To Us All
would like to say:
My name is Sena
and I am 10-years-old. I
live on a farm, I am
homeschooled, and I
love whales. I have been
trying to help the whales
since I was six.
When I was six, I
did a public service
announcement on a local
radio station and talked
about how sperm whales
sometimes eat plastic
bags that end up in the
ocean, and it kills them.
When I was seven, I did another public service announcement in which I talked about ocean acidification and the
problems it causes for whales.
Last year my sister and I sold muffins at our farm to
help raise money for the whales. We ground our own flour
and used peaches from our own tree. (Editor’s note: Sena
and her sister, Aiyana, donated the $178.63 they made
selling the muffins to CSI!)
This year, my sister and I did six presentations about
our way of life and our farm. We gave these presentations
to children from second to fourth grades, at universities,
schools and on our farm. There were from 50 to 150
children at most of these presentations.
In the presentations we talked about the way we grow
vegetables without pesticides, and about our animals and
how they help our farm. We also talked about pest and
beneficial insects, as well as our chores on the farm.
At four of the presentations, I also spoke about whales
and their problems with nets. I showed some pictures of
whales caught in nets. I also showed the children my
website (www.senawhales.org) and I encouraged them
to look at the seafood guide so that their parents could
make better decisions about the seafood they buy. You
can find the seafood guide at seafoodwatch.org (click
Seafood Recommendations, Seafood Search or use the
Pocket Guide).
I hope that one or more of these children go home
and do something to help the whales.
Sena Wazer is an inspiration to us all!
Sena is working hard to make the world a better
place, advocating for organic farming, whales and much
more. We’re proud she’s a CSI member. Here’s what she
CSI’s Web Site:
csiwhalesalive.org
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 12
Listening to Humpback
Whales with Paul Knapp Jr.
off Culebra, Puerto Rico,
February 9th-16th 2014
beach), moreover it is also possible to rent golf cars, Jeeps
or bicycles for individual tours.
By Monika Fischer, Switzerland
(natur-nah@bluewin.ch)
My deep passion for cetaceans and especially for
humpback whales made me look for an opportunity to be
close to humpback whales and to learn more about them.
Someone of the Swiss Whale Society gave me the
address of Paul Knapp Jr.. He is a self-taught whale
listener with a big interest in the humpback whale song.
So he has been listening to whales in the Caribbean for
27 years and he has recorded wonderful CDs with songs
of the whales.
After emailing over years the possibility came up now
that I could undertake the journey to the Caribbean and
join Paul for listening. This is a little report on my
experience with the whale songs heard "live" off Culebra,
Puerto Rico (USA).
Accompanied by my partner, I flew in from Switzerland through Philadelphia and through San Juan, Puerto
Rico. A small plane took us over to Culebra. Culebra is
a small island (30.1km2) 27km east of Puerto Rico main
island. Its shape is irregular with different bays and spits.
The maximal length measures 11 km by a width of 8 km.
Culebra is mainly visited by guests from Puerto Rico
and from the US because it is known for its beautiful
beaches and its appealing landscape.
Transportation on the island is provided by a taxibus
taking visitors to the most beautiful beach (Flamenco
Tourist map: Culebra Island
After arriving on the island and moving into our flat,
Paul offered to take us out with his boat for a first
listening experience. So we met and joined him in his
"dinghy", his small inflatable boat with a roof as protection against the sun.
Paul's boat for listening
View from the small plane: Culebra with Flamenco Beach
First we drove through a channel surrounded by
Mangroves, that led us to the open sea. Then we followed
the coastline in order to avoid too big waves and then we
stopped at a certain point after about half an hour drive.
Paul explained to us that that was a good spot for listening
since it was protected from wind (and waves), deep
enough and acoustically open to the sea. He had been in
search for such a spot, where constant listening was
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 13
possible, before we arrived.
Looking out would not give a hint that whales were
close...no whale, no blow, no back emerging, no breaching was visible. On the way out we had encountered sea
turtles and jumping fish, but had not found any trace of
whales. Although not seeing them, I could feel their
presence in my heart, and I was wondering how the first
listening would turn out.
Paul opened his waterproof valises with his equipment for listening: a speaker, amplifier and a hydrophone
(microphone for the water). He also threw a kind of water
parachute into the water which would keep the boat from
drifting too rapidly. After installing everything, he let the
hydrophone into the water and as soon it reached a certain
depth, we started hearing the songs of the humpbacks!!!
Wow, how long had I been waiting for that moment?
View from the boat towards the beach
The songs came from about two whales, Paul said
they were about 7 miles away and we would not hear
every detail of their song because they were too distant.
We heard tones going up and down, deep, high
frequencies...nearly no pauses...there were also other
sounds: we heard the waves and the pistol shrimps who
were kind of crackling very loud. Interesting, with only
overviewing the water, the ocean seems to be so quiet,
starting then to listen, it turns out to be full of sounds. We
were also told by scuba divers that they heard the whales
sing, so it is possible to hear the sounds in the sea just
with our bare ears (with no special listening equipment).
I feel I could stay with the whale songs and sounds
of the ocean for hours. Happily, I would get the chance
to go and listen with Paul in the next days again.
So we went out for listening five times, every time
the experience and what we heard was similar but also
Another day: view from the boat towards the open sea
(which is full of natural sounds)
different. The number of whales singing varied, it was
often hard to say how many we heard. The last time we
went out to listen we heard approximately four animals
at the same time, the singing was really intense. What and
how much we heard was every time different and
depended on the distance the whales were away from us.
Sometimes they came closer and we started to hear more
details of the songs. Also higher frequencies - reminding
me of the whistles of bottlenose dolphins - could be heard
sometimes in addition to the other sounds. Sometimes I
heard sounds for which I do not find words, they
reminded me of chains, also others of engines, cows...it
is nearly impossible to find words for the acoustic
repertoire we heard.
And...the songs of the humpbacks never seemed to
stop. I could not differentiate either a beginning nor an
end of a song.
I was emotionally touched hearing the whales, I really
value the opportunity of listening with Paul a lot. Writing
this report, many additional questions arise...I have read
numerous books and papers on humpback whale song
and I wonder how researchers can find beginnings and
endings of the songs, especially when there are many
animals singing at the same time or when they are even
singing together? I can hear a difference between the
songs we heard and the songs Paul had recorded earlier,
but I (a hobby musician and used to sounds) imagine it
hard to observe the changes in the songs step by step...I
also wonder what the singing means to the whales;
research findings say that it is only males that sing. Are
we humans able to really understand why they are singing
and what it means to them (males and females and even
calves) and maybe to other lives? What would the oceans
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 14
be without these sounds?
Now being back home in Switzerland, I am grateful
I could undertake this journey, it was worthwhile to travel
so far. And I am even more passionate about Cetaceans.
Friends here wonder what humpback whale singing
sounds like. Next to trying to find words I like to give
them Paul's CDs which were recorded under ideal conditions and which give a great impression of the songs heard
in the Caribbean.
Society International and start shopping! Of course CSI
asks you to support your local merchants first, but if you
do shop online why not help CSI save whales at the same
time!
Upcoming Events
Compiled by Paul Knapp, Jr.
Note that some of these events may have already
occurred, but still might be of interest to our readers.
All Summer, and well into October: Whale watch
trips from many New England & Canadian coast locations, and around the world at all times somewhere.
Paul's latest CDs
The Dolphin Letters; Vital Information
from Sea to Land is a
catalyst for inspiration
and solace, for looking
to nature for solutions to
our human woes. Author
Muriel Lindsay has
shared what she’s
learned over many years
from the bottlenose dolphins near her home on
Tybee Island, Georgia.
Their guidance is guaranteed to reinforce the
view of all who believe
that dolphins possess the
wisdom many of us need to know, and care enough to
share it. “You will only take in what belongs to you from
all that we say. All else will fall away.”
Amazon Smile
Did you know that you can help CSI as you shop on
Amazon? 0.5% of the price for your qualified purchases
will be donated to CSI by Amazon, at no cost to you, if
you start at smile.amazon.com, sign in, select Cetacean
July - Oct. 2014: Hervey Bay Whale Festival, Hervey
Bay Australia. This sounds like an ongoing celebration
of the whole whale watch season.
http://whalesherveybay.com.au/
August 10, 2014: 2nd Annual National Humpback
Whale Day. A day to celebrate the humpbacks around
the world that give us all so much enjoyment.
August 14, 2014: New Bedford Whaling Museum,
7:00 p.m., reception 6:00 p.m. "Why Whales Matter", a
lecture and book signing with Joshua Horwitz, author
of the book: War of the Whales: A true story. (508) 997
0046 ext. 100
http://www.whalingmuseum.org/programs/why-whalesmatter
Sept. 13, 2014: Cetacean Society International 40th
Anniversary Fundraiser at the Custom House Maritime
Museum, 150 Bank St., New London, CT. Come to
CSI's Wild Oceans Benefit Fashion Show, our spectacular evening for you on September 13th, to celebrate
our beautiful wild oceans and species we work to protect. For more details see the headline "September 13,
2014 – Save The Date!" in this newsletter.
Sept. 15-18, 2014: The biennial International Whaling
Commission meeting in Slovenia, on the Adriatic coast.
Oct. 2, 2014: Cape Cod museum of natural history
event in Brewster, MA.
Oct. 3-6, 2014: Two Oceans Hermanus Whale Festival,
South Africa. Web: http://www.whalefestival.co.za
Email: festival@hermanus.co.za
Whales Alive! • Summer 2014 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 15
Nov. 6-9, 2014: SITKA WHALEFEST, Sitka Alaska.
907-747-8878. Email: sitkawhalefestdir@gmail.com
Nov. 7-9, 2014: 14th International Conference of the
American Cetacean Society: "Tuned in to Whales: Conservation, Research & Education", Hyatt Regency,
Newport Beach, California.
http://acsonline.org/education/conference/upcoming2014-conference-tuned-in-to-whales-conservationresearch-education/
Nov. 15, 2014: 6th Annual Right Whale Festival, 10:30
a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Jacksonville, FL. (727) 954 3390
Email: info@sea2shore.org
US waters. But this hasn’t always been true. In the
mid-1800s, when blubber was big business, these whales
were very easy to find - as many as 30 thousand of them
were killed in just one decade. And it didn’t stop in the
1800s; whaling into the 1960s drove the North Pacific
right whale just about to extinction.
Save the Whales
The ocean home of all whales is less and less friendly.
Whales are hit by ships, threatened by oil spills, and
tangled in fishing gear - tons of nylon and plastic. There
are a dozen once-common whale species that our kids
may never see.
Jan. 24 & 25, 2015: Monterey Whale Festival, Old
Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, California. Celebrate the
Monterey Bay National Sanctuary.
http://montereywharf.com/
Limited Genes in a Diminishing Pool
Only about eight breeding female North Pacific right
whales remain. Without many new babies, and without
diversity in their gene pool, these whales are doomed.
Feb. 2015: Maui Hawaii Whale Festival & World
Whale Day. Parade, run, talks and lectures. (808) 249
8811 ext. 1
Who’s making all that racket?
Human disturbances - ships, fishing gear, pollution, noise
- are degrading oceans. Navy sonar, in particular - part of
live testing exercises - may affect feeding, breeding, and
communicating, and is believed to cause mass beachings
of whales.
Mar. 2015: Pacific Rim Whale Festival, B.C. celebrating the return of the Grey Whales.
http://www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com/
Mar. 7 & 8 and 14 & 15, 2015: Dana Point Whale festival, California. Grey Whale migration.
http://Festivalofwhales.com/ (949) 496-1045, (888)
440-4309
Top Ten Endangered Species Report
The Endangered Species Coalition’s 2014 Top Ten
Endangered Species Report, “Vanishing: The Ten American Species Your Children May Never See”, includes
CSI’s nomination of the North Pacific Right Whale
(Eubalaena japonica)! The Report will be available in
mid-August from endangered.org, with previous reports
under “Campaigns”. 2013’s Report was “Back From The
Brink: Ten Success Stories Celebrating the Endangered
Species Act at 40”. This is the Report’s text describing
some of the reasons this endangered whale deserves our
attention:
With One Fluke out the Door, this Whale’s Just About
Gone
North Pacific right whales are the rarest and most endangered whales on earth. There may be only thirty left in
Not Much in the Fridge
As ocean temperatures rise and waters become more
acidic, the entire ocean ecosystem is affected. Phytoplankton has been measurably declining since the 1950s,
and this depletion impacts zooplankton, the right whale’s
essential food source.
Act Now
Organize or participate in a beach cleanup. See
VanishingWildlife.org to learn more.
Countdown to Zero: Unless we act now, these whales
may vanish in our lifetime.
From the Editor
I was seriously injured shortly after the October 2011
issue of Whales Alive! was published. We are very
grateful to Taffy Lee Williams for carrying on as editor
through 2012 and 2013. Thank you, Taffy! And thank
you to our members and supporters for staying with CSI
through these challenging times. - Brent S. Hall
Cetacean Society International
PO Box 953
Georgetown, CT
06829
U.S.A.
FIRST CLASS MAIL
September 13, 2014 – Save The Date!
Join the board for our 40th Anniversary Year
Wild Oceans Benefit Fashion Show
In collaboration with the New London Custom House Maritime Museum,
CSI will be bringing you an evening of music, arts and fashion
to celebrate our continued work to protect marine mammals.
Please visit http://WildOceansCSI.bpt.me today to reserve your seats.
6:30 pm VIP Admission, 7:30 pm General Admission
Custom House Maritime Museum
150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320
See page 4 for all the details!
Working for Whales Worldwide since 1974