Sea Shepherds using acoustics to WARN WHALES away from slaughter -- too cool!

[nashville_brook]

MODS -- THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE


http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-100820-1.html


Early Warning System for the Whales:
Sea Shepherd Deploys Acoustical Warning System for Whales in the Faeroe Islands



Over the last few weeks, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has maintained a presence in the Danish Protectorate of the Faeroe Islands. Sea Shepherd is partnered with the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in our opposition to the brutal and barbaric slaughter of pilot whales by Faeroese citizens.

It is a slaughter more horrific than the killing of the dolphins in Taiji, Japan, and it is taking place in Europe in violation of the Berne Convention, to which Denmark is a signatory.

From our ship the Golfo Azzurro, Sea Shepherd and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation have been gathering evidence on the slaughter of the whales and deploying experimental acoustical devices in the water to ward migrating pilot whales away from the island.

We have kept this idea quiet until now, but today the Faeroese media reported that a pod of pilot whales had escaped because of sounds being broadcasted under the water.

Well, they caught us. We have been doing just that, and it appears that the devices work, and if they work we will be returning next year with more of them to deploy.

The Faeroese slaughter entire pods, including pregnant females and young calves. Not a single whale survives once the Faeroese pull out their long knives and clubs. They perish in an agonizing bloody orgy as drunken fishermen hack, stab, club, and slash the defenseless animals to death, filling the bay with blood.

The Faeroese call it “The Grind” and say it is a tradition and a gift from God. We call it a sadistic blood sport and a crime, a violation of the rules of the European Community, of which the Faeroes receives full benefits.

The acoustical devices can be left in the sea and will operate for weeks on batteries. They may be the key to saving the lives of many of these gentle whales, deterring them away from the violently cruel reception that the Faeroese would otherwise give them.

The crew of the Golfo Azzurro have not broken any laws, and thus the Danish Navy can only escort them; it cannot board or arrest them.

This campaign is being led by Sea Shepherd France President Lamya Essemlali.

Earlier in the summer, Sea Shepherd Undercover Operative Peter Hammarstedt was able to document one of the cruel pilot whale drives. Since then, the Faeroese have taken to covering the fetuses they tear out of the female wombs so they won’t be photographed, indicating that even they may be somewhat ashamed of their sadistic activities.

[hatrack]

1. That's how you do it!

Cool!`

[nashville_brook]

2. jujitsu - it's the same idea the Japanese use to herd dolphins into the killing cove

[Dead_Parrot]

3. Fuck yeah. nt

[TexasObserver]

4. I like this approach much better than dangerous sea attacks.

Whale Wars is a good TV production of the hard work they do to intercept and slow down the Japanese whalers, but that kind of sea battle is costly, dangerous, and not very effective. Following the Japanese whaling ships and warning whales away through sound seems a very wise strategy.

[glitch]

9. Very wise. And since it's effective -- BRILLIANT! :) nt

[Billy Burnett]

51. The whalers should be bombed from drones.

Better than hitting weddings in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

[City Lights]

5. K&R

:thumbsup:

[flvegan]

6. You can donate to Sea Shepherd here

http://www.seashepherd.org/support-us/

[nashville_brook]

10. thanks for putting that up!

[Duppers]

22. The Sea Shepherd is in my will

along with many animal shelters and humane orgs.

Long may they survive and protect the helpless.

[deaniac21]

7. The Japanese will never forgive....

[Duppers]

23. then they should watch The War, the PBS series

And read some history. BESIDES, what does THAT have to do with their KILLING WHALES?!! I fail to see the relevance.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

32. It's a reference to a very lame South Park episode about Whale Wars.

It's not worth even explaining the joke. That's really all you need to know.

[Duppers]

47. thank you! nt.

[DainBramaged]

50. And what about the millions of lives they took, should the japanese be forgiven?

:eyes:

http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/massacres_pacific.html

Massacres and Atrocities of World War II - within the Pacific Region.

[deaniac21]

52. Fuck you whale,,,,.Fuck you dolphin!

South Park Whale Whores episode

[DainBramaged]

53. That doesn't answer the question

but that's OK, you can make a joke out of the deaths.......

:puke:

[DirkGently]

8. Excellent.

[taught_me_patience]

11. Whaling Jiu-Jitsu... But isn't it going to make the show boring?

Watching ships following other ships?

[Dark Knight]

12. I really like the concept, but the show should be called NERD WARS

Paul has his work cut out for him in working with this crew, I know they mean well but the screw ups they show make me yell at the TV. I could rant on and on about the incompetence but I do support the cause.

[nashville_brook]

15. i love the Sea Sheps, but the bumblefuck factor is almost too much to bear.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Yeah, those horrible people...

They are on board 24/7 for weeks on end. You see bits cut for amusment. You see segments that emphasize the regular person status of the crew. You are being told a story. That story says 'these people are just like you, and yet they are doing something extraordinary'. I like the story.

[nashville_brook]

25. i don't want them to lose boats, or set themselves on fire -- i'm rooting for them

that's what makes it so difficult to watch sometimes. the school teacher who lost the inflatable boat...and then the propeller thing...that was horrible. i felt so bad for him.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[keepCAblue]

34. What audacity...

Amazing to me how quick some armchair "activists" are to criticize real activists -- the people who are sacrificing life and limb to their cause. Don't think the "77 die-hards on a mission" are competent? Think you could do a better job? Then give up your home, job and comfy sofa and sign your ass up to board the cause. Otherwise, can it.

[pasto76]

48. word

I also yell at the TV. their blunders drive me crazy. When they lost the rigid inflatable this year, and then the dude broke the prop, I wanted to pull out my hair. Capt Watson is merely the ringleader.

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Judi Lynn]

13. Thank you, so much. Wonderful, wonderful news. Recommending, of course. n/t

[SalmonChantedEvening]

14. This is so great. nt

[myrna minx]

16. K&R n/t

[BanzaiBonnie]

17. A National Geographic Most desirable destination?

I guess National Geographic may not have known about the whale slaughter.

The Faroe Islands has recently come under scrutiny in one of the world’s great periodicals. Rated ahead of the Azores, Lofoten and exotic islands such as Bermuda and Hawaii, the Faroe Islands received these remarks from the panel: "Lovely unspoiled islands a delight to the traveller." The islands earned high marks for preservation of nature, historic architecture and local pride.


http://www.faroeislands.com/

[nashville_brook]

18. the "preservation of nature" thing might need to be revised.

[Coexist]

21. knr

[onestepforward]

24. Excellent! K&R

[xchrom]

26. recommend

[mod mom]

28. thumbs up!

[Mimosa]

29. Good on Sea Shepherd! n/t

[wookie72]

30. Reminds me of Star Trek: The Voyage Home

I did a phone interview with Paul Watson for a college paper ages ago. Even with a cold, he was a larger-than-life Brandoesque figure, the kind where even if you don't agree with him completely you are charmed by him. Good on the Sea Shepherds.

[nyc 4 Biden]

31. more...

http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/64-beached-pilot-whales-died-new-zealand-over-700-slaughtered-faroe-islandgerman/5/59914

While in New Zealand animal lovers try their utmost to help the beached whales, two German whale protection activists visited the Faroe Islands, located in the North Atlantic, to protect pilot whales there. During the months of June and July almost 700 pilot whales were hunted in a barbaric manner and cruelly slaughtered for meat and blubber.

The unused portions are filling the freezers.

Juergen Ortmueller (56/tax advisor) and Andreas Morlok (44/author and management consultant) flew onto the Islands camouflaged as anglers to mix with the local fishermen. The Faroese are following their own laws which are passed down by the local authority which controls the hunting of whales. The two pseudo anglers from Germany, however, could uncover several scandalous acts performed by the local fishermen. In July, the inhabitants of Husavik, a village with a population of 125 people (incl. babies and old people), tried to kill a pod of pilot whales 193 head strong. Because there were not enough hunters available to participate in the killing, the fishermen had to halt the slaughter at night. To prevent the whales from escaping they tied the tail flukes of the remaining 24 whales to boats and then continued with the slaughter the following morning.

On hearing about this, the two German activists chartered a speedboat and sank electronic devices emitting sounds that imitate the call of an orca in the waters off the Eastern coast of the Faroe Islands at August, 3rd - long time before Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) do the same now. Pilot whales are deadly afraid of killer whales and stay away from them. This way the pilot whales were discouraged to go near the islands. Since this action not a single whale was sighted near the east coast of the Faroe Islands.

These two activists, who also participate in actions for the Whale and Dolphin Protection Forum (WDSF) as well as for the organization ProWal have uncovered several more scandalous acts on the islands of the whale murderers and have taken about 1000 photos and undercover video and audio recordings. They are now in the process of presenting this devastating material to the mother country Denmark so that this horrible cruelty toward the pilot whale population may finally come to an end.

---------------------
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4555757

Faroe islanders told to stop eating toxic pilot whales - Mercury poisoning (graphic pic at end)

November 28, 2008 by Debora MacKenzie, New Scientist Magazine

Chief medical officers of the Faroe Islands have recommended that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption, because they are toxic - as revealed by research on the Faroes themselves.

The remote Atlantic islands, situated between Scotland and Iceland, have been one of the last strongholds of traditional whaling, with thousands of small pilot whales killed every year, and eaten by most Faroese.

Anti-whaling groups have long protested, but the Faroese argued that whaling is part of their culture - an argument adopted by large-scale whalers in Japan and Norway.

But today in a statement to the islanders, chief medical officers Pál Weihe and Høgni Debes Joensen announced that pilot whale meat and blubber contains too much mercury, PCBs and DDT derivatives to be safe for human consumption.

"It is with great sadness that this recommendation is provided," they said. "The pilot whale has kept many Faroese alive through the centuries."

But in "a bitter irony", they said, research on the impact of the pollutants on the Faroese themselves has shown that mercury, especially, causes lasting damage.

The work has revealed damage to fetal neural development, high blood pressure, and impaired immunity in children, as well as increased rates of Parkinson's disease, circulatory problems and possibly infertility in adults. The Faroes data renewed concerns about low-level mercury exposures elsewhere.

The medical officers note that it wasn't the Faroese who created the pollution. But "these results have already led to tightened restrictions on pollution worldwide. We must therefore also ourselves acknowledge the consequences."

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16159-faroe-islan...


From Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been actively fighting the slaughter of pilot whales in the Faeroe Islands since 1983. We have had four campaigns to the islands and during those campaigns we disrupted the killing and focused international media attention on the slaughter. In 1986, the BBC produced the documentary Black Harvest about our campaigns to these savage islands. We have had crew arrested and we have had crew beaten by the whalers. It has been a long, hard, frustrating and vicious fight.


But now it looks like the Faeroese will have to end their bloody tradition of cruelty and slaughter or else inflict further harm upon their own children and themselves.

[maximillian1974]

33. Slow down there

I Love Whale Wars and agree with the Sea Shepherd's actions against the Japanese, but the Faeroe Islands situation is much different. They do not do this for commercial purposes. The island has very little in the way of agriculture and they need the extra source of food the whales provide. It is more akin to allowing the inuit to have their whale hunts than the commercial slaughter of whales for the Japanese Market. You can't even buy the whale meat in the Faeroe Islands, it is split between the many different communities and consumed year round for the benefit of the entire community. The Danes and the Faeroe Islanders are aware of how precious a resource whales are and self regulated their own hunts for decades. This is a pretty big difference.

[Goldstein1984]

41. There will always be a fundamental split on this point

Some are opposed to whaling for environmental reasons, and their concerns will be primarily related to sustainability. They might view whales as just another food source to be managed.

Some are opposed to whaling on moral grounds, seeing the killing of a beings they believe are sentient to be intrinsically wrong.

Some will have various hybrid views justifying whaling by certain peoples in certain locations under certain conditions.

My wife is Inuit. Her Inuit grandfather was a whaling "captain" who hunted whales out of Wainwright, Alaska. She is opposed to all whaling, considers it an anachronistic cultural practice with no more cultural protection than canibalism or slavery, and she supports all anti-whaling campaigns everywhere by Sea Shepherd. Imagine the cultural abomination that is a vegetarian Inuit.

[Chulanowa]

42. Sorry. Bull

An Inuit whale hunt involves twenty guys and one whale. The whale lasts for a good while. They're big, even the small ones like these pilot whales. In the Faroes, they destroy entire pods; the population density of the Faroe Islands certainly does not necessitate that much dead whale. Especially when you figure that shipping to these islands is much easier than shipping to an Inuit village.

Subsistence hunting is one thing. But this "hunt" is more of a festival, a very needless slaughter; a village of 125 people does not need that many whales, much less nearly 200 whales. Like Japan, the Faroese are claiming hte slaughter is "cultural" to which I say, yeah, so is female circumcision.

[maximillian1974]

45. Response

The Faroe whale hunt feeds the whole Island, not just the village it takes place in, and it comprises 30 percent of their entire meat consumption for the year so I wouldn't say it's needless - and telling them to ship in meat doesn't seem very ecologically sound. I would say the Faroe and inuit have a similar impact on the whale population. And don't forget the inuit celebrate their whale hunts with a 'festival' too. I love whales, and elk, and caribou, and deer and many other animals hunted for subsitance; to tell the faroe to not hunt is akin to telling the inuit to not hunt as they too can ship in their meat. The Japanese hunts are a commercial endeavor and they there is no way they can say they've culturally hunted whales in the Antarctic for any period of time.

[and-justice-for-all]

35. Whaling is disgusting...and yeah for the new tech!! nt

[femrap]

36. So nice to

have some good news. thx.

[me b zola]

37. K&R!

:thumbsup:

[catbyte]

38. They're way awesome

I've been contributing to them ever since Capt. Watson got drummed out of Greenpeace for being too radical. I really admire his dedication and sacrifice. I know some don't like his tactics, but his actions have saved countless sea creatures. He's a hero in my eyes.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Diane
Anishnabe in MI

Visit Molly the Barn Owl and her owlets at:
http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

[itsrobert]

39. How do they know that the Fishermen are 'drunken'?

?

[wordpix]

40. once again, Sea Shepherd proves it's worth my donation$.

:applause: and I learned of this org here at DU :woohoo:

[ZombieHorde]

43. This seems like a significant improvement over their other tactics.

Very smart.

[avaistheone1]

44. k&r

[highplainsdem]

46. K&R

[Eyerish]

49. K&R

[Pavulon]

54. Much smarter than clanking ships together...

a "distress" call seems to be a good thing to get them to leave. Yay technology.