Kristjan Loftsson's, CEO of Iceland's whaling company Hvalur hf, views 
a dead Blue whale in Iceland last week (Photo Credit: Sea Shepherd).

IN response to Kristjan Loftsson's comments that Australia should resume whaling:  http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-07-13/blue-whale-ceo-denies-killing-says-it-was-hybrid/9991876

Australians love their coasts and are one of the most passionate defenders of whales on the planet. Any suggestions by Kristjan Loftsson to hunt, kill and eat Humpbacks to "keep the balance" are absurd.

It's true that both the east and west coast populations are doing very well, and with krill populations crashing, we are seeing more whales stranding on our beaches. However, we don’t need to go back to the dark ages and the days of slavery to maintain the balance in our oceans.

Sea Shepherd knows that if we want our oceans to be in balance, we only need to leave them be, and by that token, we rely on the apex predators to keep the oceans in harmony; that being shark species like great white and tiger sharks, and killer whales. 

This is what is occurring right now; with the increase in whale numbers around Australia’s coasts, we are naturally seeing more orcas and sharks off our coasts, not lurking for humans, but there to keep the Humpback populations in check.

That is the role of apex predators - to remove the sick, the weak, to maintain the balance in our marine ecostems. We don’t need to follow Kristjan Loftsson cruel, despicable and neanderthal advice here.

Kristjan Loftsson does make a very sound point, though, if the shark haters (like Mininster Frydenberg and right wing media) got their way, and removed the protection status of Great Whites and we had a cull, then we would see an even greater increase in whale carcasses off our beaches, which in turn creates a greater public safety risk for ocean users.

To be a Sea Shepherd is to be a shepherd of the sea, to protect the biodiversity in our oceans, with an understanding that our oceans are in balance if they are left alone, and that a healthy ocean is one rich in biodiversity. Given most of the air we breathe comes from the sea, ultimately what Sea Shepherd does benefits all humanity.

Jeff Hansen 
Sea Shepherd Australia - Managing Director