BELUGAS BEHIND BARS : ACTIVISTS TRY TO FREE 18 CAPTIVE WHALES AUGUST 18~2013

BELUGAS BEHIND BARS : 
ACTIVISTS TRY TO FREE 18 CAPTIVE WHALES

by David Kirby August 18 . 2013

The recently captured cetaceans are stuck in the small tanks of a research station, waiting to be released. Captive whales have been able to re-enter the wild successfully, but authorizing their release is an uphill battle. (Photo: Stuart Gregory/Getty Images)

Earlier this month, the federal government surprised marine-mammal activists and observers by denying a permit for two aquariums and SeaWorld to import 18 beluga whales captured off the coast of Russia. 

The whales have been languishing in small tanks at the Utrish Marine Mammal Research Station. With their ultimate fate uncertain, a new petition is now asking Moscow to set the belugas free.

Posted by the anti-captivity group Fins and Fluke on the Change.org website, the petition states:

"We are petitioning the Russian department of Fisheries and the Utrishskiy delphinarium (which commissioned the capture) to first allow a panel of experts to assess and evaluate the health and well-being of these mammals. We are then asking that pending the health of each beluga, the team be granted permission to rehabilitate and release these animals back into the ocean, where they belong."

The import application was filed by the Georgia Aquarium, though many of the animals would have been destined for display at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium and all three SeaWorld parks.

The biggest fear among activists now is that all 18 whales will simply be auctioned off to the highest bidder, in countries that lack animal-welfare protections afforded in the United States, weak as they are.

"We are well aware that some of these Beluga Whales may be deemed unfit for release," the petition says. "And we are asking that the Utrishskiy delphinarium consult the expert panel to make the right decision on the type of facility these animals may end up residing in."

The wayward whales "have endured enough stress just with their capture alone to last a lifetime," notes the petition, adding that several captive cetaceans have been successfully rehabilitated and released into the wild.

These include the orca Keiko, who was the star of Free Willy, a young female orca named Springer, who just had a calf, and Tom and Misha, two wild-caught captive dolphins "still doing well in the ocean after their rehabilitation and release over a year later." Recently three wild-caught captive dolphins in South Korea were also set free.

So far, the petition has collected more than one-third of the 10,000 signatures sought, something that thrills Fins and Fluke president Alex Dorer.

"This idea had always been in place for us since news of the Georgia Aquarium's application was made public, we just didn't think we'd have the chance to actually do it, Dorer says. "We were convinced for quite some time that the import was going to be approved so we didn't think it was possible to move forward. Now the import was denied our first order of business was to reach out to several experts and make our petition public."

Fins and Fluke "made a vow to see this to the very end, and although the decision not to import these Beluga's (sic) has been made final, they are still sitting in a holding facility in Russia," she adds.

"We are hoping that ultimately these Beluga's have a fair chance at a happy, healthy life outside of a tank or a holding sea pen. It's important to us that at the very least we find out the health of these animals and allow a panel of experts to be consulted on a plan of action."

What are the chances for success? "We understand Russia is an extremely difficult country to work with, but we are hoping that they take the chance and become another country recognized for doing the right thing for cetaceans," Dorer says.

"We are extremely hopeful but we are also very realistic and do understand that there is a huge possibility that these Beluga's could be sold to a marine-park facility." Indeed, she adds, "It is entirely possible these Beluga's have already been sold, and if that's the case I would be heartbroken."

Last week, TakePart reported on a beluga trainer injured during a performance at Marineland, in Ontario, Canada. It appeared as if the whale may have bitten down on the knee of the trainer, who was reportedly hospitalized, though Marineland isn't commenting.

Was that beluga trying to send us a message, that life in a tank is stressful for such intelligent, sentient creatures? We will never know. But the timing, no matter how coincidental, is instructive. The unintended message that we might take home from that captive beluga may have been: "Captivity is painful. Let my cousins go."
http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/08/18/killer-whale-captivity-russia

< O >

(Photo: Tyson Paul/Getty)

HELL NO, THEY WON'T GO! GEORGIA AQUARIUM AND OTHERS DENIED WHALE SHIPMENT. CONSERVATIONISTS REJOICE AS U.S. DENIES PERMIT TO IMPORT 18 BELUGA WHALES FROM RUSSIA.  
:)  

Pledge action link is below here, please act!

August 7, 2013David Kirby
http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/08/07/georgia-aquarium-seaworld-whale-permit-denied-noaa

NOAA has rejected a permit request from the Georgia Aquarium that would have allowed the import of 18 beluga whales into the U.S. from Russia. 

In a move that surprised and delighted anti-captivity activists, the U.S. government on Tuesday denied a permit to the Georgia Aquarium, which also included requests from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and SeaWorld, to import 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia.

It was a blow to the captive display industry and, many observers say, emblematic of a turning tide in public and governmental attitudes toward keeping such intelligent, social creatures in tanks for human enjoyment.

“Following a number of public engagement efforts, NOAA Fisheries today announced it is denying the Georgia Aquarium’s request for a permit,” the agency announced in a written statement. It based the move on “the requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).”

Limited importation of some wild-captured marine mammals for public display is permitted under the MMPA. But according to the government, this was the first request for import in more than 20 years.

“The Georgia Aquarium clearly worked hard to follow the required process and submit a thorough application, and we appreciate their patience and cooperation as we carefully considered this case,” the statement from NOAA went on to say. “However, under the strict criteria of the law, we were unable to determine if the import of these belugas, combined with the active capture operation in Russia and other human activities, would have an adverse impact on this stock of wild beluga whales.”

The application to import the whales, which TakePart reported on last October and would have been divided between the Georgia Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and the three SeaWorld parks in Florida, Texas, and California, ultimately failed to meet “several” MMPA criteria. The government ruled:

We determined that the import permit will likely have a significant adverse impact on the species or stock.
We determined that the requested import will likely result in the taking of marine mammals beyond those authorized by the permit. 
We determined that five of the beluga whales proposed for import, estimated to be approximately 1.5 years old at the time of capture, were potentially still nursing and not yet independent.
The public pushback against the import permit has been formidable, with most of the 9,000 opinions submitted during a public comment period last year expressing dissent. “The comments that were most helpful to our decision-making process addressed the specific MMPA and regulatory criteria that we must use to make a decision and discussed why the commenter felt the application did or did not meet them,” the NOAA statement said.

DON'T BUY THE TICKET! WHALES & DOLPHINS SHOULDN'T BE IN CAPTIVITY

TAKE THE PLEDGE: 
http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/08/07/georgia-aquarium-seaworld-whale-permit-denied-noaa
I pledge not to buy a ticket to water parks where whales and dolphins are held in captivity for profit. My money will not be used to confine animals that should be in the wild.
In addition, I pledge to support organizations like Save Japan Dolphins, who are advocating on behalf of these vulnerable and highly intelligent animals.

ABOUT THE PLEDGE:
It’s hard to imagine that the dolphin doing flips at SeaWorld is in pain but in reality, these animals are suffering. The whales and dolphins you see at these water parks are often violently captured in the wild, separated from their families, and forced to perform for crowds thousands of miles away.
Whales and dolphins are highly intelligent animals who suffer acute sensory deprivation when they’re confined. While in captivity, they experience numerous physical and psychological problems that they wouldn’t otherwise in the wild.
These sensitive, majestic animals deserve to be treated with respect, not confined to excruciatingly small spaces and forced to perform tricks. Organizations like Save Japan Dolphins are fighting to make sure that these animals are no longer held in captivity. You can help their work by voting with your wallet and refusing to support the confinement of whales and dolphins.

KIM BASINGER WINS FIGHT AGAINST 
SEA WORLD


WENN.COM
Aug 7, 2013
Last Updated: 4:43 AM ET
Actress Kim Basinger is celebrating after winning a major victory against SeaWorld bosses.

The longtime animal rights activist teamed up with leaders from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to fight plans that would allow bosses at the Georgia Aquarium and its SeaWorld affiliates to import beluga whales from Russia.

Thanks to their actions and exposes, and the fallout from controversial new film Blackfish - about the lives of whales in captivity, officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have denied SeaWorld's latest request to stock their parks.

PETA spokesperson Moira Colley tells WENN, "This is a move that marks the beginning of the end for the wretched exhibition of enslaved whales.

"Thanks to movies such as Blackfish and PETA's lawsuit against SeaWorld for violating orcas' 13th Amendment right to freedom, people have learned of the rodeo-style capture of whales from their pods in the ocean.

"What's left is for the public to be further upset that captive adult whales are masturbated by their trainers to produce semen and artificially inseminated to produce young: another atrocity that must be stopped. And then finally, the abusement (sic) parks will close, and the whales and dolphins will be removed from their cement bathtubs and returned to the oceans, where they belong."

She adds, "Kim Basinger’s heartfelt plea to NOAA on behalf of the 18 belugas who were cruelly torn from their families in Russian waters helped ensure that the agency made the right decision today to deny permits to import the animals for a life in small tanks at US amusement parks like SeaWorld.

"PETA is grateful to her for helping see this campaign through."

http://jam.canoe.ca/Celebrities/2013/08/07/21028566.html?utm_source=addThis&utm_medium=addthis_button_twitter&utm_campaign=CANOE+-+JAM!+Celebrities:+Kim+Basinger+wins+fight+against+SeaWorld

NOAA DENIES APPLICATION TO IMPORT 18 BELUGA WHALES

Please take action to protest the capture 

of wild beluga whales. Thank you.

Petitioning Tatyana Zhukova 

Russian Department of Fisheries and Utrishskiy delphinarium: 

ALLOW A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO REHAB AND RELEASE 18 WILD ~ CAUGHT BELUGA WHALES

http://www.change.org/petitions/russian-department-of-fisheries-and-utrishskiy-delphinarium-allow-a-panel-of-experts-to-rehab-release-18-wild-caught-beluga-whales

NO PERMIT FOR 18 BELUGA WHALES IN CAPTIVITY

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/414/095/951/no-permit-for-18-beluga-whales-in-captivity/

STOP GEORGIA AQUARIUM IMPORTING 18 WILD BELUGAS

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/126/357/177/stop-georgia-aquarium-importing-18-wild-belugas/

BELUGA FIT PITS AQUARIUM 

AGAINST NOAA

Please take action to protest the capture 

of wild beluga whales. Thank you.
http://oceanshepherd.blogspot.com/2013/08/noaa-denies-application-to-import-18.html

Beethoven and Maris are two of the beluga whales owned by the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The aquarium wants to import 18 belugas from Russia, but the National Marine Fisheries Service denied its application 

Jessica Estepa, E&E reporter
Greenwire: Monday, November 4, 2013

ATLANTA -- A 2-foot-thick glass panel separates Beethoven and Maris from their admirers. The pair swim back and forth in their tank, every once in a while pausing in front of the crowd of about 30 people who have stopped to take in the sight of them.

Some children point at the creatures and whisper to their parents, while other people ask questions, wondering where they originally came from and what they eat for dinner.

It's no wonder. Beethoven and Maris are two of only 31 beluga whales currently living in captivity in the United States. This spot in downtown Atlanta is one of only six places in the country where the animals can be seen.

If the Georgia Aquarium has its way, that number will increase by nearly 60 percent with the importation of 18 belugas, which are known for their expressive faces, from Russia. The creatures, native to Arctic regions of the world, are not considered endangered.

Beluga whales
Beethoven and Maris are two of the beluga whales owned by the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The aquarium wants to import 18 belugas from Russia, but the National Marine Fisheries Service denied its application earlier this year. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Aquarium.

But the future of that proposal is up in the air. In August, the National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rejected the aquarium's permit application to import the whales. Its reasons included concerns over how the removal of the whales affected the native population in Russia and the possibility that the whales were still nursing when they were captured.

"This decision is not a statement by NOAA Fisheries against the applicant, public display or the live-capture of animals for the purpose of public display," the agency noted in its decision. "The [Marine Mammal Protection Act] provides specific exemptions for public display, provided specific criteria are met. NOAA Fisheries determined that for this application, not all of those criteria were met."

The Marine Mammal Protection Act doesn't provide for an appeals process within the agency, so the aquarium was left with two options, said Scott Higley, the aquarium's vice president of communications and external affairs, as he sat near the exhibit one afternoon last month.

"We could walk away," he said. "But we're not prepared to do that, because we all believe so deeply and we're so committed to this project on behalf of these guys."

The aquarium's remaining option: Go to court. The institution on Sept. 30 filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. NMFS has 60 days from that date to respond -- an end-of-November deadline that isn't affected by the government shutdown.

An agency spokeswoman declined to comment because the case is pending.

The ongoing dispute over the import of the creatures -- which began when the aquarium filed its application last year and included a heated public hearing -- is representative of a struggle that has long existed between zoos and aquariums that keep animals in captivity and animal rights groups that say keeping animals locked up is inhumane.

For the Georgia Aquarium -- a nonprofit organization that has brought in 19 million visitors since it opened in 2005 -- one of the main missions in importing the beluga whales is to improve the species's genetic diversity for breeding purposes.

Under the proposal, the whales would be divided among the institutions that are currently home to beluga whales: the Georgia Aquarium; the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago; the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut; and the three SeaWorld parks in California, Texas and Florida. There, they would be seen by millions of visitors and be bred to ensure the continuation of the population.

Higley -- who is not a scientist by trade and came to the aquarium after working in commercial real estate -- said experts in the zoological community had determined that the population was reaching a critical point. There were too many young whales, too many old whales and a disproportionate amount of males to females, numbers that were not ideal for breeding.

Of the 31 belugas in the United States, 18 were bred in human captivity, he said. In order to sustain the population, aquariums needed new blood.

"We support the Georgia Aquarium in their efforts for education opportunities and to present these animals so we can conserve the species," said Andy Wood, vice president of marketing and public affairs at Mystic.

The other reason for the import is more abstract. The institutions that play home to these whales have an obligation to educate the public about the animals and their roles in the global ecosystem. To Higley, the best way to do that is to give visitors the chance to see and even interact with the animals.

"It's human nature that you only care about and only work to conserve and protect the things you think are important," he said. "This is a way to create that bond."

Opponents question captivity

Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Animal Welfare Institute, is among the vocal opponents to the import and disagreed with that premise. She referenced the passion children develop for dinosaurs, which they've never seen.

Rose, who was previously with the Humane Society of the United States, contends that the collection of whales is inhumane. In the pending case, the belugas in question were captured by Russian scientists in 2006, 2010 and 2011.

"In order to capture whales in any setting, you have to restrain them, remove them from the water," she said. "It's traumatic and stressful, and some will die from it."

She believes that beluga breeding in captivity also should end and the captivity of the whales in general should be phased out; the 31 animals currently on display around the country should not be replaced, either from breeding or imports, when they die, she said.

To Rose, the Georgia Aquarium's position that people should be able to see the whales does not constitute a right.

"You can say that this is my opinion and that is their opinion," she said. "But I believe that it's a privilege, not a right, to be able to see these animals. And it should not be at the cost of their welfare."

Leslie Cornick, an associate professor of marine biology at Alaska Pacific University, takes a less extreme view of the situation. Cornick has worked with captive belugas at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut to conduct research, and she sees value in keeping some whales in captivity.

But she raised concerns about the import of animals from the wild and about Georgia Aquarium's application, in particular. Cornick said she believes the animals were not aged correctly and some may have been nursing when they were captured. The importation of such animals is forbidden under the MMPA and is one of the reasons the permit was denied.

Higley contends that none of the whales was spotted with its mother, which would indicate that a young whale was still nursing. Additionally, the belugas were reportedly all eating solid food when they were captured, another sign they were no longer nursing.

Both Rose and Cornick were among a group of 29 marine mammal scientists who sent a statement to NMFS in opposition to the Georgia Aquarium permit application, expressing doubts about the transport and confinement of the animals. Their statement arrived at the agency along with nearly 9,000 comments from the public last year, many of which expressed negative views of the import.

"I am writing to ask that you deny the Georgia Aquarium a permit to import 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia for captive breeding and exhibition at marine parks and aquariums," reads one comment containing language drafted by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "Beluga breeding programs in the United States have been largely unsuccessful, and there is no compelling evidence that these programs create interest in, educate visitors on, or change people's attitudes about conservation."

The aquarium read all the comments and wrote detailed responses, which also were sent to NMFS.

"175 million guests visit aquariums and zoos annually. ... Studies show that seeing and learning about belugas in person increases understanding of the species as well as the potential impact of changes in our oceans," one response from the aquarium read.

Now, as the legal process goes forward, Rose said she thinks the court will find that the agency correctly followed MMPA.

For its part, the aquarium plans to continue to push the same message of education and conservation, something that has been backed by others in the zoological community. Steve Feldman of the Association for Zoos and Aquariums said there's value in keeping animals in captivity.

"There are some things that you can learn from human care, and there are some things that can only be done in an animal's natural habitat," he said. "The most effective way to save the whales is a combination of both."

Whales in limbo

As the legal battle over the whales goes on, the whales continue to live in the Utrish Marine Mammal Research Station in Russia.

The whales, which were all born in the wild, were caught in the Sea of Okhotsk: two in 2006, 11 in 2010 and five in 2011. The application details how they were captured, examined by veterinarians working for the Utrish Dolphinarium and then transferred to facilities on the Russian coast of the Black Sea.

According to the Georgia Aquarium's application, the center is meant to be a temporary home, even though they have all been there for years.

The center is operated by the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, which was established by the Russian Academy of Sciences. Photos submitted by the aquarium show the research station tank and sea pens where the animals live, displaying clean facilities and water. According to the application, the largest holding area connects to a natural lake and measures about 121 feet wide, 157 feet long and 59 feet deep. Three smaller holding pens also are located on-site.

Little information is provided on the dolphinarium that captured the belugas. According to Moscow's official website, the city branch of the dolphinarium is "one of the most popular and visited places of the Russian capital." The animals residing in those facilities, which include bottle-nosed dolphins, walruses and sea lions, take part in entertainment acts. Visitors also can pay to swim with the dolphins.

But animal rights groups have criticized Utrish for its captures. One online petition says, "The tragedy is going on in the Utrish dolphinarium in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Six dolphins ... are incarcerated in a tiny swimming pool used by Soviet sportsmen in the past."

Requests for comment from the Severtsov Institute have not been returned.

And information about what would happen to the whales if they are not imported to the United States is not available. The Georgia Aquarium did not comment on the whales' current living situation but said it remained committed to its efforts to bring them to the United States.

"They are not yet our whales, and we have no say in what happens to them if we are unsuccessful in our efforts to bring them here," Higley said in an email. "However, I can assure you that in that event, we would do everything in our power to ensure that the whales will be given homes with caregivers who espouse the same values and offer high-quality care for the animals."
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059989912

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FEDS DENY BID BY SEAWORLD, OTHER AQUARIUMS TO IMPORT WILD~CAUGHT BELUGA WHALES

photo © Jennifer Stuber via summerofmylyfe~dot~tumblr~dot~com
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-government-denies-beluga-whale-import-20130806,0,2082247.story
By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
5:19 p.m. EDT, August 6, 2013

The federal government rejected on Tuesday a bid by a consortium of U.S. marine-park and aquarium owners — including SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. — to import 18 beluga whales captured from the wild.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service said it would not grant an import permit for the whales, which were taken from the Sea of Okhotsk off the eastern coast of Russia, because doing so would contribute to the decline of the wild population from which they were captured.

It was the first time in more than 20 years that any U.S. facility had attempted to import a marine mammal taken from the wild specifically for public display. SeaWorld and other aquarium owners, wary of negative publicity, have for many years opted instead to take in rescued animals deemed unfit for release, import ones already held in overseas aquariums or breed from their existing captive populations.

Tuesday's decision was a monumental victory for the anti-captivity movement, which had deluged the Fisheries Service with public comments condemning the application. Some scientists and even some aquarium owners — notably the National Aquarium in Baltimore and Merlin Entertainments Group's Sea Life Centres — also opposed the permit request.

"The tide is turning. The public sentiment is wholly and fully against acquisition from the wild," said Courtney Vail, campaigns-and-programs manager for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "I do think it's time that all facilities take a hard look at their policies and move toward not acquiring animals from the wild."

The application had been submitted by the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, which would have owned all 18 belugas. But Orlando-based SeaWorld Entertainment may have stood to gain the most: Application records showed plans to transfer 11 of the whales to SeaWorld marine parks through breeding-loan agreements, including six to SeaWorld San Antonio, three to SeaWorld San Diego and two to SeaWorld Orlando.

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago would also have received one or more of the whales.

In a prepared statement, the Georgia Aquarium called the decision "deeply disappointing." The 7-year-old facility had hoped the whales would add genetic diversity to the current population of captive beluga whales in the United States.

"Sadly, the decision places the long-term global sustainability of an entire species in limbo," the aquarium stated. "The animals in question would help to ensure the sustainability of beluga whales in human care in the U.S. for the purposes of education, research and conservation.

"Through ongoing conservation and research efforts, our team is proactively seeking solutions to learn all we can to protect these incredible animals in the wild," it added, "in the face of increasing challenges to their survival as the effects of climate change, increased shipping and exploration for natural resources impact them in their natural habitats."

A spokesman said the aquarium has not yet decided whether it will appeal the decision in federal court.
Representatives for SeaWorld were not immediately available for comment.

For all the emotions raging around the controversial application, the Fisheries Service said its decision was ultimately based on a dispassionate analysis of federal law. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, U.S. facilities can collect marine mammals from the wild for the purpose of public display — but only if the captures do not harm the wild population, or "stock," from which they are taken.

In its application, Georgia Aquarium cited research conducted from 2007 to 2010 that concluded the beluga population in Russia's Sakhalin Bay totaled at least 3,000 animals and could sustain the annual removal of 29 whales without declining. Records showed the research was paid for by SeaWorld and the Georgia Aquarium, along with three other marine-park owners: Ocean Park Corp. of Hong Kong; Mystic Aquarium of Mystic, Conn.; and Kamogawa Sea World of Japan.

But Michael Payne, a top official in the Fisheries Service's Office of Protected Resources, said the agency ultimately concluded that imports would ultimately have a "significant adverse impact" on the wild population.

With the blessing of the Russian government, commercial fishermen have been collecting beluga whales from Sakhalin Bay for nearly 20 years. Payne said that live-capture trade has contributed to a "small but steady decline which has largely gone undetected because of the inadequate monitoring in the region."

What's more, the agency said issuing the requested import permit would have spurred demand for further captures from the Russian stock. And it determined that five of the 18 whales the U.S. aquariums wanted to import were about 11/2 years old when caught and therefore potentially still nursing and not yet independent of their mothers.

Officials said they do not know what will become of the 18 belugas, which were captured from 2006 to 2012 and are held at a research station on the Russian coast of the Black Sea.

"Unfortunately, [the Fisheries Service] does not control the live-capture operations in Russia," Payne said. "Presumably, the 18 whales will be sold, in lieu of capture of the same number of animals, to meet the demands of the industry worldwide."

jrgarcia@tribune.com or 407-420-5414
Copyright © 2013, Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-government-denies-beluga-whale-import-20130806,0,2082247.story

Beluga whales. Via 123freegiftscardsforu~dot~com

Following a number of public engagement efforts, NOAA Fisheries today announced it is denying the Georgia Aquarium’s request for a permit to import 18 beluga whales from Russia for public display in the United States. NOAA Fisheries based the decision on requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The MMPA allows marine mammals to be removed from the wild or imported for the purpose of public display, and provides a process for issuing permits. This is the first application for a permit to import recently caught wild marine mammals in more than 20 years.

“The Georgia Aquarium clearly worked hard to follow the required process and submit a thorough application, and we appreciate their patience and cooperation as we carefully considered this case,” said Sam Rauch, acting assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “However, under the strict criteria of the law, we were unable to determine if the import of these belugas, combined with the active capture operation in Russia and other human activities, would have an adverse impact on this stock of wild beluga whales.”

After careful review, NOAA Fisheries concluded that the application did not meet several of the MMPA permit criteria. NOAA Fisheries denied the permit application because:

NOAA Fisheries is unable to determine whether or not the proposed importation, by itself or in combination with other activities, would have a significant adverse impact on the Sakhalin-Amur beluga whale stock, the population that these whales are taken from;
NOAA Fisheries determined that the requested import will likely result in the taking of marine mammals beyond those authorized by the permit;
NOAA Fisheries determined that five of the beluga whales proposed for import, estimated to be approximately 1½ years old at the time of capture, were potentially still nursing and not yet independent.  

Cetaceans - Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas)
Beluga whale pod in the Chukchi sea
Photo Credit: Laura Morse (NOAA)
Photo Date: July 1st 2008
Marine Mammal Permit: 14245


The Aquarium sought to import the whales from Utrish Marine Mammal Research Station on Russia’s Black Sea Coast for public display at its own facility in Atlanta and at partner facilities, including SeaWorld of Florida, SeaWorld of Texas, SeaWorld of California and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

The whales were captured from Russia’s Sea of Okhotsk between 2006 and 2011. There is little reliable scientific information about the size and population trend of the Sakhalin-Amur stock of belugas, and the impact on the stock of other human activities, such as hunting and fishing, is unknown.

NOAA Fisheries held a public hearing on the proposed beluga whale importation on October 12, 2012. The 60-day public comment period closed Oct. 29, 2012, with NOAA Fisheries receiving approximately 9,000 comments.

Beluga whales are social animals that typically migrate, hunt and interact together in groups of ten to several hundred in the arctic and subarctic waters of Russia, Greenland and North America. Beluga whales face a number of threats including ship strikes, pollution, habitat destruction and entanglement in fishing gear.

For more information, including the decision memo, are available online.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels.

SEVEN CONSERVATION WINS FOR EACH DAY OF DISCOVERY'S SHARK WEEK 2013

DAY ONE OF SHARK WEEK 
AUGUST 4 ~ 2013 
http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/7-conservation-wins-for-each-day-of-discoverys-shark-week-2013-85899494193
Every week approximately 2 million sharks are killed, mostly to supply fins as a soup ingredient to Asian markets. One-third of shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction. They mature late in life, have long reproductive cycles, and produce few young, making them extremely vulnerable to overfishing. Until the mortality numbers are drastically lowered, every week is Shark Week at Pew. Sharks play important roles in keeping our oceans healthy and serving as a source of ecotourism revenue for many countries. 

There were seven significant gains in shark conservation since last year’s Shark Week that together will help slow the decline of sharks and secure their survival. Check back each day this week to learn about a different milestone.

1. French Polynesia and the Cook Islands

French Polynesia and the Cook Islands

French Polynesia, a French overseas territory in the South Pacific, declared its entire exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, a shark sanctuary in December and banned commercial fishing of all shark species. With five archipelagos and an EEZ of more than 1.8 square miles (4.7 million square kilometers), the territory effectively protected more than 21 species of sharks in its waters. 

Also in December, the Cook Islands declared its EEZ of more than 756,000 square miles (more than 1.9 million square kilometers) to be a shark sanctuary. Combined with neighboring French Polynesia, this constitutes the world’s largest contiguous shark sanctuary—more than 6.7 million square kilometers (2.6 million square miles).

- See more at: http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/7-conservation-wins-for-each-day-of-discoverys-shark-week-2013-85899494193#sthash.Wk8un6oq.dpuf

This week is the Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week. There’s no better time to take a moment to learn more about these amazing animals. Take our shark personality quiz to find out what kind of shark you’d be!

WHAT'S YOUR SHARK PERSONALITY

http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/whats-your-shark-personality-85899493300

U.S. PROPOSAL COULD WEAKEN SHARK CONSERVATION LAWS

http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/us-proposal-could-weaken-shark-conservation-laws-85899486983

The United States’ reputation as a world leader in shark conservation could be tarnished if a rule proposed by the Obama administration moves forward without changes.

GLOBAL SHARK CONSERVATION SANCTUARIES FOR A PREDATOR IN PERIL

http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/global-shark-conservation-sanctuaries-for-a-predator-in-peril-85899492698

Swift, graceful, mysterious, superbly adapted to their environment, sharks have been the apex predators of the oceans since long before dinosaurs roamed the planet. For some 400 million years, they have been the unchallenged rulers of the deeps and shallows of the marine world.

PACIFIC LEADERS CALL FOR OCEANWIDE SHARK PROTECTIONS

http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/pacific-leaders-call-for-oceanwide-shark-protections-85899489846

Leaders from a dozen countries, states, and U.S. territories across the Pacific Ocean are calling for oceanwide protections for sharks—a move that underscores a growing commitment to ending unsustainable shark fishing in the region.

- See more at: http://www.pewenvironment.org/news-room/other-resources/7-conservation-wins-for-each-day-of-discoverys-shark-week-2013-85899494193#sthash.Wk8un6oq.dpuf

<<<<<<<<<<O>>>>>>>>>>



"Show a Shark Some Love", Shark Fin Soup PSA
JOE WHELSKI 
http://www.youtube.com/user/JWhelski?feature=watch

ORIGAMI WHALES PROJECT ~PEGGY OKI

ORIGAMI WHALES PROJECT ~PEGGY OKI

image © pacific whale foundations ~ Courtesy Olaf Janssen

Dear Friends,

1) Whaling, Big Time! (in three parts):
    a. Iceland Whaling + two online petitions
    b. Norway Whaling
    c. Japan Whaling

2) What's all the (underwater) noise about?

3) News from "Let's Face It" 
    ✮ Mark your Calendar: SBRG event 

4) "Blackfish"now screening internationally, including Santa Barbara!

5) Vote for Marineland Whistleblowers

6) Two Happy Endings, Volunteers needed, networking, and quote of the day

...and now the details.

1) Whaling, Big Time! (in three parts):
a. Iceland Whaling + two online petitions (at bottom of this section)
To date over 75 endangered Fin Whales (out of a quota of 184) have been reported killed by Icelandic whalers. 
Also, the minke whales are getting hammered in the north of Iceland. The Hrafnreydur has been off-loading record amounts of minke whale meat, indicating multiple minke whales killed each day.

+ Humpback Whales in the Crosshairs!!   
Just received (August 1, 2013) from a WhalesNeedUS colleague:
[translated] Gunnar Bergmann Jonsson director of the Minke whalers association hopes that humpback whaling can start, and said that his company would like to engage in such whaling.  Sverrir Daniel Halldorsson whale expert at the Marine Research Institute (HAFRO) said that it makes sense to allow the hunting of humpback whales for scientific purposes, which could be accompanied by counting [surveys] and research on the stock.  "But this is a political decision whether they want to go ahead and do it," said Sverrir Daniel, who said that research is expensive and would take a few years.

This is consistent with the proposal from Gunnar, who said that it is vital to study the stock. Hunting for scientific purposes could be conducted for five years, and that the the data could then be used for hunting advice.  "It would only be for ten animals a year and everyone knows that this would have no impact on the stock." 

Sverrir Daniel said that humpback whales have increased in numbers here in recent years and and that there is evidence that the minke whales are looking to other areas. Gunnar said that the minke whalers verified this when they went around the country and found that minke whales had diminished considerably in abundance and that humpback whales were in great abundance, especially in the north.  "I think that we need to investigate what the implications of this are on our resource, and that this is precisely the time for the experts to be given a stage from which to investigate this," said Gunnar.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture when asked said that as no such [formal] request has been received, the Fisheries Minister was not in a position to comment.

• Whale Meat Returns to Iceland, ...130 tons of (ENDANGERED) Fin whale meat arrived in Sundahöfn, Reykjavík’s harbor, on Sunday. (23.07.2013) 

"Shipping containers carrying Icelandic whale meat arrived in Hamburg over the weekend, and members of Greenpeace tipped off customs officials to the contents of the shipment. Whale products are illegal to transport through Germany,..."
http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/Whale-Meat-Being-Returned-To-Iceland

+ + + Please sign & ask your friends to sign these two online petitions against Iceland's cruel slaughter of Fin whales, 75 killed, with a quota of 184 this season! :(
@ WDC: http://whales.org/en/campaigns/dogfood-enl
@ previously posted NRDC:
https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3097

b. NORWAY WHALING
[translated]
"Several vessels have reported good catches, and earlier this summer, the buyers were talking about the great demand for and interest in this traditional Norwegian food. This is good, and it is hoped that whale meat will again have a rebound and become even more popular. 

In today's Fiskeribladet, there is a story about the whaling vessel "Reinebuen" which has had a good season.  By the beginning of this month, the boat had taken 77 whales, and there are still more animals to be hunted.  Skipper Bjorn Andersen said that the boat has never taken this many animals.

So far this season, more whales have [already] been taken than in all of last year. This year, 480 animals have been shot, 69 more than last year at this time. The entire catch last year was 465 animals.  In 2011, the figure was 533 animals, and there are good chances that that number will be reached this year.  There is still a long way to the quota ceiling of 1286 animals.

Every one of the whale meat buyers told FiskeribladetFiskaren in June that interest in whale meat was increasing, and that they could have sold much more meat if it had been available.  Gunnar Klo, Lofthval, Hopen Fish and Seafood and Ellingsen stated that the demand in the market is there, but that inadequate and poor distribution makes sales more challenging.  It is both difficult and expensive to get the meat to the consumers.  It shows that both the Norwegian Fishermen's Sales Organization  and the whaling industry has a ways to go before being able to better serve the market.  It is therefore very pleasing to see that Lofthhval has managed to gain access to Rema 1000, with its portion packs.  We believe that this is key for further growth in consumption.

We believe that whale meat can, in fact, become a fashionable food, precisely as it is in Tromso these days.  The Bukta Festival began yesterday afternoon, and during the festival days, large quantities of whale burgers will be consumed.  The fact that younger consumers can access and taste whale meat can help to ensure continued growth in demand.

In addition, in line with the growing interest in sushi, we can expect that there will be an increased appetite and demand for "alternative foods", which is how whale meat is perceived.  And nothing can be happier than that whale meat can reach out to a new generation, who can help to ensure a viable hunt in the future."

c. JAPAN WHALING
"Japan launches campaign to promote whale meat sale"

✮ International Court of Justice update:
Australia's attorney-General Mark Dreyfus discusses whaling case against Japan
The court is said to announce a ruling by the year's end.


2) What's all the (underwater) noise about?
✮ Underwater Noise – The Overlooked Catastrophe. This highly educational animated video here covers the known impacts of various forms of underwater noise on cetaceans, including "our" world's smallest, the Hector's dolphins.

✮ Results from this study clearly indicate the impacts to behavior of cetaceans, including virtual stampede response, which also is a concern on top of physiological harm. 
Re: Whales flee from military sonar leading to mass strandings, research shows Studies are missing link in puzzle that has connected naval exercises to unusual mass strandings of whales and dolphins

Our letter to the New Zealand government addressing concerns over seismic testing in Maui's Dolphin habitat is soon to be announced!
Please read & share "Music to the Ears about Too Much Noise for Maui's Dolphins" (previous news/blog on underwater noise threats to Maui's) 

3) News from "Let's Face It" 
• Call for set net ban to save critically endangered Hector's dolphins
http://www.lets-face-it-dolphins.com/news-blog/article-100-2013-07/call-for-set-net-ban-to-save-critically-endangered-hector-s-dolphins
•  "Voices from Auckland Sounding Loud & Clear for the Maui's Dolphins" 
http://www.lets-face-it-dolphins.com/news-blog/article-99-2013-07/voices-from-auckland-sounding-loud-and-clear-for-the-maui-s-dolphins

.•*✮Peggy Oki's article, "Crusade For Dolphins" July/August 2013 issue of DEEP (surf) magazine is NOW available on news stands in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties, and ONLINE at link provided here. ~ Please POST WIDELY ~thanks! ♥ ☆✮*•.
Find "Crusade For Dolphins" online, pages 60-62: http://www.deepzine.com/site/current-issue-of-deep-magazine

+ Our group (of nearly 300!) photo, "Stand Up & Be Counted" is included in the article. Read this report & watch our video (thank you Paul Moss!):
http://www.lets-face-it-dolphins.com/news-blog/article-91-2013-05/stand-up-and-be-counted

While the LAST 55 Maui's & 25% of Hector's dolphins are RUNNING OUT of TIME, the NZ government has been dragging their feet about the Threat Management Plan (TMP). But this buys us more time to show them our ever-growing numbers!

.•*✮ We now have 7,096 "Let's Face It" Visual Petitions (LFI VPs), and continue to send periodic follow-up e-mails to the 3 key decision-makers, urging them to protect the Maui's & Hector's dolphins from ALL known THREATS. 

✮ See how FUN & EASY it is to collect LFI VPs. 
Join us in sending our POWERFUL message to the NZ government: "Let's Face It" the WORLD is WATCHING! Next week, we'll be sending another follow-up e-mail to the NZ government.

+ Make Your Pledge by collecting 5, 10, 15 "Let's Face It" VPs this week. 
Huge thanks to Franklin Klock, who rallied the help of two high school seniors to collect 114 "Let's Face It" Visual Petitions at the "Summit Hill Hootenanny!"

.•*✮ Summer parties, asking your friends & family, events, your workplace, farmers markets... are great places to collect a lot of Visual Petitions. Bring your camera along with your chosen image(s) of a Maui's/Hector's Dolphin and "Show Us Your Love"!!

✮Start with Step 1 and see how easy & fun it is to collect "Let's Face It" Visual Petitions!

TEAM UP* with a couple of friends, and you'll collect heaps!!~; )`
*Working in teams of 2-3 people works well for collecting many Visual Petitions. Here's how:
• "Ambassadors": 1-2 persons briefly explain the situation of the Maui's & Hector's Dolphins and "Let's Face It" campaign.
• "Photographer": When people agree to have their photo taken, person with camera will take photos while the Ambassadors go on to the next person to explain.
People love smiling to save Dolphins!!!
* If you'd like information to download, print, and share, please visit our Visual Petition Collectors Packet page.

Our 3 minute campaign update video: http://www.lets-face-it-dolphins.com/news-blog/article-85-2012-11/call-to-action-please-spread-the-word-and-post-widely

Read & share our News/blog postings:

✮ Mark your Calendar! 
23 August, 5-10pm, Santa Barbara Rock Gym will be hosting a benefit event for the Origami Whales Project/"Let's Face It" and the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center while celebrating the gym's 1 year anniversary. Further details to be announced in our next newsletter. Please plan on celebrating with us!

Whales and Dolphins Ambassador Program, Carpinteria Valley Arts Center, 5-9 August! * (details below my signature)


5) "Blackfish"now screening internationally, including Santa Barbara!
U.S. News review: "Before getting into the science and the controversy, I'll make a prediction: "Blackfish" - the documentary that takes a critical look at SeaWorld's killer whales, premiered at the Lincoln Center in New York this weekend and hits theaters nationwide shortly – will win the Academy Award for best documentary. It's that good, and precisely the type of film that wins this award each year."
• "Blackfish" official movie site: http://blackfishmovie.com
"Blackfish" opens tomorrow (2 August) in Santa Barbara, at the Plaza de Oro Theater. 
+ Remember to bring your camera along with your chosen image(s) of a Maui's/Hector's Dolphin and "Show Us Your Love"!!

5) Vote for Marineland Whistleblowers
Ric O'Barry supports cause for the whistleblowers who've made huge personal sacrifice for the sake of the captive Belugas and all animals kept @ Marineland Niagara Falls. Please have a read and remember to VOTE DAILY in the Billie Award for Les Stroud! 
• Direct link to VOTE DAILY in the Billie Award for Les Stroud
https://thebille.com/r/5q1ij920

6) Two Happy Endings, Volunteers needed, networking, and quote of the day

"Springer is the first known case of a killer whale being captured, rehabilitated and successfully released back to their pod." 
(2:10 min. video)

Dolphin busts free, finds its family in ocean after years of captivity
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
• Volunteers needed for grant writing, administrative assistance, our event on 23 August, and Origami Whales Stitching Parties
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
• Networking, networking!
Follow my posts on facebook!
For regular updates and action alerts, regarding cetaceans and their ocean habitat at my Origami Whales Project wall and for "Let's Face It" on facebook, and "Share" my posts.
+ + + Follow "Let's Face It" Visual Petition campaign on Twitter, and post widely ~thanks!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
• quote of the day:
"Three things cannot be long hidden, the Sun, the Moon and the Truth." 
- Buddha

Thank you ♥ everyone, for being a Voice for the Voiceless, the Cetaceans & fellow ocean beings! ♥
Peggy
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Peggy Oki
Origami Whales Project Founder & Director
ph: (in USA) 805.684.3573
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
"Let'sFace It" Visual Petition campaign for the Critically Endangered Maui's and Hector's Dolphins of New Zealand:www.lets-face-it-dolphins.comwww.lets-face-it-dolphins.com
OrigamiWhales Project
www.peggy-oki.com/cu_origami.html
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
* Whales and Dolphins Ambassador Program, Carpinteria Valley Arts Center, 5-9 August!
Next week! For the 4th year in a row as a part of the Carpinteria Valley Arts Council's Summer Arts Program, ages 7-14, 5-9 August. The flyer available for download on our events page.

As an extension of the Origami Whales Project, the Whales and Dolphins Ambassador Program offers the opportunity for children and teens to become educated on anthropogenic (human-caused) threats to cetaceans and their ocean habitats. Students become empowered to protect all connected marine wildlife and their habitat through art action letters and by applying artistic skills to crafting sustainable alternatives to some of these threats which include solid, chemical, and noise pollution, bycatch, entanglement, climate change, and ocean acidification, and whaling.  We also discuss ethics, cetacean captivity, and current movement towards a Declaration of Cetacean Rights. The goal of this program is to increase awareness of our impact on the environment, and to instill a need for stewardship of all life on Earth through caring for cetaceans, their fellow beings, and ocean habitats. 
For further information, please e-mail Peggy Oki directly at <peggyo@peggy-oki.com>
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Since 2004, the Origami Whales Project (OWP) has worked to raise awareness concerning threats to cetaceans (dolphins and whales) through its stunning and memorable "Curtain of 36,000 Origami Whales." Created by thousands of concerned citizens across the globe and exhibited throughout the world, this large-scale public art project serves as a powerful visual statement and memorial for the thousands of individual whales killed since the 1986 ban on commercial whaling. As urgent need for cetacean rights activities arise, the Origami Whales Project has expanded with additional outreach and education programs, creating "Curtains" of origami dolphins and whales in United States, Japan, Dominica, and New Zealand.
How to Make Tax-deductible Donations to the Origami Whales Project:
http://www.peggy-oki.com/cu_origami_donations.html


https://www.facebook.com/OrigamiWhalesProject

https://www.facebook.com/savemauisdolphin