| Conservation Advocacy |
|
Save the Whales! was a rallying cry for the entire environmental movement from the 1960's to the 1980's. After almost a century of unprecedented slaughter by the commercial whaling industry, most populations and even species of great whales teetered at the edge of extinction. Problems remain today, although in many cases they are different than those of the past. Commercial whaling for endangered whales was curtailed starting in the 1960's, and was banned internationally by a decision of the International Whaling Commission in 1982 (although we know during that period illegal whaling was rampant - this link details these hunts). Questionably justified scientific whaling is still carried out by Japan, Iceland, and Norway, but not at a level which would harm stocks. Many stocks of whales are now showing signs of recovery. But that does not mean their safety is assured. As we have turned our attention to the seas for many uses, new conflicts between whales and man are emerging. Pollutant loading of the oceans is taking its toll in some places, as marine mammals (including whales) and seabirds are showing toxin accumulation levels which are many times higher than any land mammal. Entanglements in fixed fishing gear may be killing as many as 1,000 marine mammals every day, including members of endangered species. As boats get larger and goods need to be transported overseas more frequently, fatal ship collisions are becoming a problem world-wide. And looming on the horizon are a suite of development options for coastal environments, including energy exploitation, fish farming, and other industrial uses, which can lead to conflicts with many marine species. Two populations about which we remain very concerned are the North Atlantic right whale and the Western gray whale. Both have been protected for the better party of a century; right whales now number just over 400 animals, western gray whales likely less than 200. Both have suffered from a loss of genetic diversity, and both are susceptible to human impacts. Major international efforts need to be undertaken to save these species and while work is currently underway, the clock is ticking. Recently, we did lose a species - the Chinese river dolphin, or Baiji. The extinction was due entirely to human catches (both direct hunts and accidental kills), overfishing of their prey, and pollution in their environment. Its extinction was confirmed in 2007. We can never get the Baiji back, but we can let it stand as a lesson to what can happen if we are not careful enough. |