Saturday, 15 September 2018 

A win for the whales: The IWC voted down Japan's 'The Way Forward' by 41-27 in Brazil on Friday. A Humpback whale infront of the M/Y Steve Irwin (Photo Credit: Sea Shepherd).

International Whaling Commission member nations voted down a Japanese Government proposal to resume commercial whaling on Friday, September 14. Japan’s ‘The Way Forward’ submission was defeated by a vote of 41-27 in Florianopolis, Brazil.

Sea Shepherd Australia’s Jeff Hansen stated: "Kudos to all those countries at the IWC that stood strong in representing the great whales, our oceans and future generations. 

"Whales play an integral role in providing rich nutrients via their flocculent plumes for plankton, the basis of our ocean food chains. Whales therefore are critical to our oceans health, to fisheries and to the very air that we humans breathe so in essence, the countries standing up for the whales at the IWC are choosing to put the survival of our oceans and humanity first," Mr Hansen said.

“Sea Shepherd has more than done its share over the years with over a decade defending the whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, resulting in over 6,000 whales saved. 

"Sea Shepherd is calling on the Australian Government to live up to their pre-election promise, to send a vessel south this summer to oppose bloody whaling the southern ocean whale sanctuary, or their will be blood in the water and blind eye in Canberra. Sea Shepherd is also calling on the Australian government to look at all legal options, for instance taking Japan to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea," concluded Mr Hansen. 

Email Prime Minister Scott Morrison to send a vessel south this summer: https://seashepherd.good.do/whaledefence/ewhale_defence/