Humpbacks Spared from Japanese Harpoons

Japan Suspends Humpback Hunts
December 19, 2007
At the end of the year we bring some good news from the Antarctic and some vitally important information from around the world.

JAPAN TO SUSPEND HUMPBACK HUNTReports from Tokyo indicate the Japanese have told the American Ambassador they will not hunt humpbacks this season. Photo by David MartinAustralia has indicated she will send an armed vessel and aircraft to monitor the Japanese fleet and bring back evidence to support Australia's legal action against Japan in the World Court.
BV PROTESTS BARRAGE JAPANESE EMBASSIES
Your phone calls and faxes protesting Japan's dolphin hunt sent a strong message to Japanese embassies around the world. Faxes and phone calls force them to pay attention. Thanks for the reports you sent us of your interactions with embassy officials. Your voices were heard.

MARINE MAMMAL TOXICS
At the end of November Deborah Cutting and I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa for a meeting of marine mammal scientists from around the world. Reports of dangerously toxic levels in a wide range of marine mammals were highly alarming. The good news is that this subject is taking center stage at such meetings now. And implications for human health have become part of the discussion.
During 2008 BlueVoice will publish results of our collaboration with Dr. Brian Durie of the International Myeloma Foundation establishing correlations between high toxic levels in the marine environment and human cancer clusters. This document and a corresponding film will lead a massive educational effort on our part to alert public, press, legislative and regulatory agencies to this clear and present catastrophe.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2007 AND BEST WISHES FOR THE HOLIDAYS. WE ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN 2008. IT WILL BE A CRUCIAL YEAR.


For the dolphins and whales,
Hardy Jones


TESTING FOR TOXICS IN JAPAN
During 2008 we will expand our testing of marine products from Japan. Data already reveals that dolphins contain far too much mercury in their meat to be consumed by humans and that dolphin hunting should end immediately. We will also test Japanese fish exports for mercury levels in an effort to leverage the Japan Fisheries Agency into ending its support for dolphin hunting.
Our tests of fish caught in the Taiji area and sold in local markets showed all species to be safe for human consumption. This means the people of this village can eat fish but should not eat dolphin meat. One supermarket in Taiji has stopped selling dolphin meat due to its mercury content. And the schools have stopped accepting dolphin meat.
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Watch "Humpback Whales Mating" filmed in Tahiti
Link between ocean toxins and human blood cancers
Toxic Contamination in the Arctic
Watch "A Friendly Humpback Whale"
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