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News > News > Fremantle Saves Whales
Fremantle Puts Pressure On To Stop Whale Slaughter
20 Jan 2009
January 19, 2009
Fremantle’s Support Helps Save
Hundreds of Whales
The captain of the anti-whaling vessel the Steve Irwin has personally applauded Fremantle Mayor, Peter Tagliaferri, for his help in successfully lobby Indonesian officials to refuse repairs to a Japanese whaling vessel.
Captain Paul Watson singles out the Mayor, Senator Bob Brown and former Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell for their swift efforts in sending letters condemning the whale slaughter.
In an email letter to the Mayor, Capt. Watson describes it as a great victory for the anti-whaling cause and a humiliating defeat for the Japanese whaling fleet (further details are on the Sea Shepherd website at www.seashepherd.org).
In the message to the Mayor on January, 15 2009 he wrote;
“The Yushin Maru # 2 has not killed any whales since at least December 20th and because of this decision in Surabaya, they will not be returning to the Southern Ocean very soon. This effectively reduces the killing power of the Japanese whaling fleet by a third leaving the Yushin Maru # 1 and Yushin Maru #2 as the two remaining harpoon boats,” Capt. Watson says.
“The decision to expel the Yushin Maru #2 from Surabaya saved a great many whales,” said Captain Paul Watson.
“This loss of a harpoon vessel coupled with Sea Shepherd’s successful disruption of the whaling between December 20th and January 7th will have a significant impact on the kill figures. And when the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin returns to disrupt the fleet for another month and a half, the impact will be even greater.
“Sea Shepherd’s goal is to save as many whales as possible and to cost the whaling industry as much in profit losses as possible. So far the campaign has exceeded expectations.
“It is also very humiliating for Japan to have one of their ships literally kicked out of an Indonesian port after being barred from entering Australian and New Zealand ports for years.
“It is not known where the Yushin Maru #2 is limping off to now as they seek repairs but we will be following them and we will be doing everything we can’t delay their return to Antarctic waters.
In his protest letter to Indonesian authorities, Mayor Tagliaferri said the City of Fremantle would not support the vessel entering its fishing boat harbour to seek repairs to continue an illegal activity.
“I…. urge you to also not allow this vessel to be repaired in your port and as a result the Yushin Maru 2 will not be able to rejoin the illegal whaling.”
Word of Fremantle’s anti-whaling stance has spread, with the Mayor receiving an email this morning from 11-year-old Melbourne girl Suzie Magann who writes:
“My name is Suzie I am 11 years old I made anti whaling videos they are on myspace under JDsAspen my mums account. I want to thank you for helping to get the Yushin Maru #2 kicked out of Port of Surabaya, East Java in Indonesia. Capt.Paul and the crew of the Sea Shepherd Steve Irwin are doing the job that the gov said they would do. The Whales desreve to live and not get killed. I know a lot of the crew and they are my adopted family. Thank you so very much for your help. Could you help to get them a port back in Melbounre? I used to take a lot of supplies to them and I can not even see them now. Like I said they are my family. And YES I do understand what is going on”
Ends
For further comment, please contact Mayor Peter Tagliaferri on 0403 188 237.
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