September 2005 - Marine Education Society of Australasia

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"But we do need to stay ahead of the game if we are to ensure our fish stocks remain in tact." Senator Macdonald also read a letter to the Convocation from the Prime Minister, John Howard, which focused on the need to better understand the working of the global oceans and predict their behavior. The Great Whale Debate………. Whale Conservation Communiqué Federal Shadow Environment Minister State and Territory Environment Ministers Anthony Albanese MP (Federal Shadow), Hon. John Thwaites (Vic), Hon. Bob Debus (NSW), Hon John Hill (SA), Hon Dr Judy Edwards (WA), Hon Jon Stanhope (ACT), Hon Desley Boyle (QLD), Hon Judy Jackson (Tas), Hon Marion Scrymgour (NT) Whaling in Australian Waters was banned in 1981 when the Whale Protection Act 1980 came into effect. Australia has traditionally led international efforts to protect whales. Australia played a key role in the declaration of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in 1994. Given the proud record that Australia has had in the past in international whale conservation, current moves by Japan to increase it’s killing of whales must be strongly opposed. The States and Territories of Australia join with the Federal Opposition in condemning the Howard Government for its failure to effectively oppose the proposed slaughter of Humpback Whales and the proposed increase in the slaughter of Minke Whales. Government in all Australian Territorial waters. • Immediate steps be taken to prosecute boats detected slaughtering whales within Australian Territorial Waters under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. • The Foreign Minister apply diplomatic pressure to Japan to stop it from expanding its whale killing activity. • The Howard Government take immediate action to ensure that Australia’s opposition to the proposed expansion of whale killing is clearly conveyed to all International Whaling Commission members. • That the Howard Government reaffirm its commitment to the establishment of a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary. The social, environmental and economic benefits of protecting whales is recognised by all the Australian State and Territory Governments and the Federal Opposition. Whale watching is a major eco tourism industry in Australia. The Humpback Whale is listed as a vulnerable species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and deserves full protection. We will continue to work together to pressure the Howard Government to protect Whale populations. All the States and Territories and the Federal Labor Opposition demand that • Whaling activity is stopped from occurring by the Commonwealth 26
Whale protection: Australia leads the way Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage Senator the Hon. Ian Campbell20 May 2005 The Australian Government is taking strong action to enforce whale protection with the release today of a comprehensive strategy to preserve Australia's five threatened whale species. The recovery plans outline key strategies for the protection of five of Australia's great whales - the humpback, southern right, blue, fin and sei whales - and aim to recover their population levels back to the levels that existed prior to the 19th century when they were hunted extensively throughout the world's oceans. The plans: • provide protection for whales within 200 nautical miles from Australia's coastline (see attached map). This area - the Australian Whale Sanctuary - encompasses the area of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) outside state waters and extends further than 200 nautical miles in some areas to cover the continental shelf and slope; • spell out that it is an offence to kill, injure, take, trade, keep, move or interfere with these whales within the designated Australian Whale Sanctuary zone. The recovery plans have involved extensive consultation with the States and Territories, key researchers, non-government organisations and industry. "These whale species were decimated by commercial whaling during much of the last century and Australia is strongly committed to their long-term recovery and protection," Senator Campbell said. Australia has a number of long-standing programs to monitor populations of these whales and preserve their survival. The release of these whale protection plans will enable all governments and stakeholders to implement and fund activities for the recovery of these whale species. One of the key threats to these whales identified in the plans is any recommencement of commercial whaling. "The Australian Government is strongly opposed to any resumption of whaling and will continue fighting for a permanent ban on commercial whaling and an end to whaling for so-called 'scientific' purposes," Senator Campbell said. "I will represent Australia at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission in June and will be working to remove any loopholes that allow commercial whaling, under the smokescreen of science or anything else." • give whales a high level of protection under the Australian Government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; and Australia was a founding member of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), is the host country of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), and a key player in Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM). Australia is also working with other South Pacific countries to establish a Memorandum of Understanding for the conservation and 27
Page 1 and 2: Newsletter of the Marine Education
Page 3 and 4: solutions. A world wide network of
Page 5 and 6: The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Page 7 and 8: also explored links between coral r
Page 9 and 10: Mike Cawthorn (FCV), David Ross (FC
Page 11 and 12: Brett Pendlebury, Adelaide Dolphin
Page 13 and 14: Torquay 18 th July - 22 nd July Bre
Page 15 and 16: Institute of Antarctic & Southern O
Page 17 and 18: Every 2 hours a Marine Sciences sta
Page 19 and 20: sustainability and continue to redu
Page 21 and 22: Back from the brink of extinction i
Page 23 and 24: caught toothfish; but, following my
Page 25: the sister boat's skipper cut the f
Page 29 and 30: The Whale Wars Reporter: Matthew Ca
Page 31 and 32: $10/kg. The extreme weather conditi
Page 33 and 34: The RV Southern Surveyor has two se
Page 35 and 36: Ensuring sustainability/maximising

September 2005 - Marine Education Society of Australasia

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