The Whales and Dolphins in the Faroe Islands Need Your Help

By Mary Vincent - Follow on Twitter @MaryVincent
As you know, I have mainly focused on Green Business and Clean Tech News on this Blog. However, an email crossed my inbox today that surprised and shocked me. It's about the senseless killing of dolphins and whales in the Faroe Islands. Very Graphic Photos are in this Slideshow.  

The Faroe Islands receive subsidies from Denmark.

As you know, Copenhagen, Denmark is scheduled to be the December 2009 meeting place for a new Climate agreement as a follow-on to the Kyoto Agreement.

How can Denmark work on climate goals to help this planet and at the same time allow the killing of whales and dolphins?
I immediately emailed the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in Australia with a request of how I can help.
I immediately received this response below from Robin Graham at WSPA with emails for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Fisheries and Natural Resources, and Prime Minister of Denmark Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
If you'd like to help, please email them with your concerns and please share with your network asap.
Thank you.
Mary

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Email from Robin Graham, WSPA, Australia

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Dear Mary,

Thank you so much for your email. We share your concern for the welfare of whales and dolphins in the Faroe Islands. 

 Some 28,000 great whales have been killed since the International Whaling Commission (IWC) adopted a worldwide ban on commercial whaling that took effect in 1986. The Faroe Islands however continue to kill pilot whales and other species as these islands are not covered by the Convention. For this reason it has been difficult to enforce the end of this cruel ritual.

WSPA has been campaigning against the whale and dolphin hunt in the Faroe Islands since 1984. In 1992 WSPA, the Environmental Investigation Agency and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society formed the Pilot Whale Campaign and started targeting importers and retailers of Faroese products in Britain (and later on in Germany) in an attempt to stop the import of Faroese products. Unfortunately the campaign had little success however WSPA continues to lobby against whaling globally through the Whalewatch coalition.
WSPA is the leader of Whalewatch - a network of over 140 non-governmental organisations in over 55 countries worldwide, united by a common belief that whaling should be banned because it is inherently cruel. This lobbying activity is an essential part of maintaining the current commercial whaling moratorium and the battle to end whaling once and for all. For more information about Whalewatch and how to take action please visit www.whalewatch.org
You may wish to write to the Department of Foreign Affairs mfa@mfa.fo; and the Ministry of Fisheries and Natural Resources fisk@fisk.fo to voice your concern for the welfare of whales and dolphins in the Faroe Islands Hunt.
You may also wish to write to the Prime Minister of Denmark Anders Fogh Rasmussen and ask him to suspend Denmark's annual subsidy to the Faroe Islands until an agreement to phase out and end the whale and dolphin hunt has been signed between the Faroese home rule government and the Kingdom of Denmark.
You can help us achieve global recognition and protection of animals around the world by joining a global voice of 10 million in support of our campaign. Animals and our treatment of them are important. Because you care, tell your government that animals matter to you. Act now by signing our petition: www.wspa.org.au/animalsmatter

On behalf of the animals, thank you again for your compassion and concern.

 Kind Regards

Robin Graham
Supporter Care

WSPA Australia
World Society for the Protection of Animals
1/2 Northcote Street
ST LEONARDS  NSW  2065

WSPA, the World Society for the Protection of Animals exists for the sole purpose of raising the standards of animal welfare throughout the world.  To find out more about our work log onto:  www.wspa.org.au.