Russian capture of orca whale slammed in San Francisco

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October 20, 2003

 

For immediate release

 

Russian capture of orca whale slammed in San Francisco

 

An international meeting in San Francisco today

slammed Russia for capturing an orca whale and killing

another in defiance of the International Whaling

Commission and in the face of world opinion. The Sunny

Summit brought together 45 activists from 10 countries

representing millions opposed to the exploitation of

whales and dolphins in captive settings. A strongly

worded resolution condemning the September 26th orca

capture and death in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka

waters was passed unanimously.

 

" The era of orca captures should be confined to

history books " said Mark Berman of Earth Island

Institute's International Marine Mammal Project and

one of the Summit's organizers. " The last orca

capture anywhere in the world took place in 1997 in

Japan. It created such a wave of protest around the

world that it is virtually certain Japan will never

allow orca captures again. Years before that public

opinion convinced Iceland to stop captures, and years

before that it forced the USA and Canada to end the

deadly practice. After all this time I am outraged

that Russia would have the audacity to start it all

over again. "

 

Another Summit attendee, orca expert Dr. Paul Spong of

Canada's OrcaLab supported Berman's declaration by

adding " We know far too much about the complexity and

fragility of orca society to condone the capture and

removal of any family members. Orcas live in closely

bonded families that remain together throughout life.

Capture operations terrorise orca families as well as

the individuals taken from them. During the era of

orca captures in the Pacific Northwest many orcas were

killed by entanglement in nets during capture

operations. Now we are seeing this ugly pattern

repeated in Russia. September 26th is a sad sad day

for orcas and for everyone who cares about them. "

 

In 2002 the Scientific Committee of the International

Whaling Commission advised against any captures of

orcas in Russian far eastern waters on the grounds

that scientific studies of the population were just

beginning and very little was known about it. " The IWC

accepted the report of the Scientific Committee

unanimously " , said Spong. " There is no question at

all about this - Russian attempts to capture orcas are

a flagrant defiance of the IWC. "

 

Berman and Spong plan to present the Sunny Summit

Resolution against Russian Orca Captures to the Consul

General of the Russian Federation at his 2790 Green

Street San Francisco office at 10am Monday October

20th. Demonstrators protesting the capture and death

as well as an additional 9 capture permits issued by

the government of Russia will accompany them.

 

" This terror attack on orcas will be condemned around

the world " , said Berman.

 

-30-

 

Additional information: Mark Berman, Earth Island

Institute (415)788-3666 ext. 146; email:

berman

Dr. Paul Spong (250)974-8068; orcalab

 

---------------------------

Mark Berman

Assistant Director

International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island

300 Broadway #28

San Francisco CA 94133 USA

415-788-3666 X 146

Fax 415-788-7324

 

 

 

 

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