whales

Whaling - the story so far

Last edited 11 January 2007 at 5:23pm

Greenpeace activist in front of an Icelandic whaler

A Greenpeace volunteer in front of an Icelandic whaler

Commercial whaling during the last century decimated most of the world's whale populations. Estimates suggest that between 1925, when the first whaling factory ship was introduced, and 1975, more than 1.5 million whales were killed in total.

Article tagged as: CITES, iceland, IWC, japan, norway, oceans, whale sanctuaries, whales, whaling

Bycatch - wasteful and destructive fishing

Last edited 11 January 2007 at 5:09pm

Most fishing gear is not selective. This means that as well as the 'target' species of fish it catches, any number of 'non-target' species may also be hauled in. This 'incidental' catch of other species is referred to as 'bycatch'.

Globally, it's estimated that a quarter of what is caught is wasted - thrown back into the sea dead because it has no commercial value. Fishing quotas mean that fishermen targeting a particular species or size of fish will throw back any 'non-target' or 'too small' fish that they catch.

Article tagged as: birds, bycatch, cetaceans, destructive fishing, dolphins, oceans, porpoises, whales

Whale watching

Last edited 8 November 2006 at 9:00am

One of the ironies of the fight to end commercial whaling is that over the past decade whale watching has shown the potential to become far more profitable than whaling ever was. It is already generating a staggering $1.25 billion per year globally.

Whale watching takes advantage of the fact that most whales are migratory, moving around the oceans at different times of the year to breed and feed. Much of this migration takes place in coastal waters, where large whale pods can often be clearly seen, either from small boats or from the shore.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, norway, oceans, whale watching, whales, whaling

Greenpeace films Japanese harpooning whale turning water cannon on volunteers

Last edited 17 December 2001 at 9:00am
17 December, 2001

Japanese whalers operating in Antarctic waters today blasted Greenpeace volunteers with powerful water cannons after a helicopter captured rare footage of a whale being harpooned.

Article tagged as: arctic sunrise, IWC, japan, oceans, press releases, whales, whaling

New Greenpeace film of Antarctic whaling - a warning to the world

Last edited 14 December 2001 at 9:00am
Southern oceans Japanese whaling hunt

Southern oceans Japanese whaling hunt

A new film compilation of Antarctic whaling - shot from the Greenpeace ship MV Arctic Sunrise - premieres today on video screens around the world, in a Greenpeace global day of action against whaling.

Article tagged as: arctic sunrise, japan, oceans, whales, whaling

Norway and the whales

Last edited 8 November 2001 at 9:00am
A dead whale is sliced in to whalemeat

A dead whale is sliced in to whalemeat

Article tagged as: IWC, norway, oceans, whales, whaling

Japanese whaling

Last edited 8 November 2001 at 9:00am
Japanese whalers claim to be collecting 'scientific samples'

Japanese whalers claim to be collecting 'scientific samples'

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, oceans, whales, whaling

What future for the whales?

Last edited 8 November 2001 at 9:00am
Greenpeace protesters alongside a dead whale are dragged inside a whaling ship

Greenpeace protesters alongside a dead whale are dragged inside a whaling ship

CITES
All trade in endangered species is governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Following the IWC's announcement of a whaling moratorium in 1982, CITES classified the great whales as protected species, and outlawed international trade in whale products.

Article tagged as: CITES, IWC, japan, norway, oceans, whales, whaling

Oceans campaign: what Greenpeace is doing

Last edited 8 November 2001 at 9:00am
IWC53: Watching the whalers

IWC53: Watching the whalers

A return to full-scale commercial whaling could be just a hair's breadth away. Although the 1986 moratorium on whaling dramatically reduced the number of whales being caught, hunting still goes on. Now Norway and Japan are seeking to remove the protected status of whales and resume international trade. This would be a disaster for whales. In response to this threat. Greenpeace is demanding an end to all commercial whaling, once and for all. All whale species must be permanently protected.

Article tagged as: CITES, IWC, japan, norway, oceans, whales, whaling

Key dates in the history of the whaling campaign

Last edited 8 November 2001 at 9:00am
Greenpeace protest to stop whaling in Russian waters

Greenpeace protest to stop whaling in Russian waters

 

  • 1848: Whaling enters the industrial age with the invention of the exploding harpoon.
  • 1905: The introduction of factory ships leads to massive growth in the whaling industry. These floating processing plants are able to decimate whale populations at the rate of up to 40,000 a year.
Article tagged as: oceans, whales, whaling