IFAW: Shell agrees to move oil pipeline to protect endangered Western Gray Whales

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I wanted to give you a heads up about a major victory out of IFAW Russia

convincing Shell to move a pipeline near Sakhalin Island in critical Western

Gray Whale habitat.

 

Let me know if you have any questions,

 

Kerry

 

 

For Immediate Release

 

Contact:

 

Igor Beliatski (IFAW) - Russia Tel.: (095) 933 34 11 / 15; Email:

ibeliatski

 

Editors: Video (Beta SP; Mini DV) and still images of Western Gray Whales and

Moliqpak oil platform are available.

 

IFAW: Shell agrees to move oil pipeline to protect endangered Western Gray

Whales

 

(Yarmouth Port, Mass. - 30 March 2005) - IFAW (International Fund for Animal

Welfare - www.ifaw.org) today hailed the decision of the Sakhalin Energy

Investment Company (SEIC), a Shell-led operating company, to move an oil

pipeline off the east coast of Sakhalin/Russia in an effort to protect the last

100 Western Gray Whales.

 

Shell announced today that they will move the pipeline 20 kilometers to the

south, away from the main feeding area of the critically endangered Western Gray

Whale. A coalition of environmental organizations from around the world has been

demanding that Shell move the pipeline for several years.

 

This February, a group of internationally renowned IUCN experts published a

scientific report confirming that the Sakhalin-2 project threatened the

extinction of the Western Gray Whale.

 

IFAW, together with the IUCN panel experts, urged Shell to review the

construction plan of the pipeline near Sakhalin Island. IFAW and other

environmental groups insisted that the next SEIC oil platform should be

stationed at least 12 nautical miles off the Sakhalin shore and the planned

route of the pipeline should be moved at least 12 nautical miles to the south.

 

In November 2004 the IUCN congress recommended that Sakhalin Energy " should

delay all the current activities and postpone the planned development of the

Sakhalin-2 project till the proper evaluation of the risks is undertaken and the

whale conservation measures are elaborated " .

 

Although the scientists came to a conclusion about the serious negative impact

of the mentioned oil projects on the endangered Western Gray Whale population,

the Shell Company (main shareholder of SEIC) first seemed to ignore the opinion

of the IUCN panel and, in contradiction to the position of the scientists,

announced the expansion of its activity on the Sakhalin shelf. But now it looks

like the worries and demands of the environmentalists were partly heard.

 

Maria Vorontsova, director of IFAW Russia, said, " We are satisfied that Sakhalin

Energy showed it willingness to cooperate with international NGOs and to

re-route the pipeline, but we believe further steps have to be undertaken by

SEIC to secure the future of the endangered Western Gray Whales. We are calling

the Sakhalin Energy to move the platform further away from the whales feeding

grounds. "

 

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

 

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW -- www.ifaw.org) works to

improve the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by

reducing commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and

assisting animals in distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent

cruelty to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that

advance the well-being of both animals and people.

 

 

 

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The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW -- <a

href= " http://www.ifaw.org " >www.ifaw.org</a>) works to improve the welfare of

wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in

distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to

promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of

both animals and people.

 

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