On July 24th 2010 Nor-Cal Surf Shop will host the Third Annual Marine Mammal Surf Festival to raise awareness of the mass slaughtering of dolphins and whales in Japan, Norway and Iceland. All money raised will be given back to Dave Rastovich’s non-profit organization, Surfers for Cetaceans.
 
Vie for the trophy (as seen in the latest Surfers Journal) by entering your own 4 person team. Name your team and sign up through NorCal Surf Shop by bringing in or mailing the entry form attached with your payment enclosed to ensure your slot in the event.

We are asking for 50 dollars per competitor for the unique chance to give back to what we all love by saving dolphins and whales from cruel slaughter in their own habitat. 
 
In lieu of entering the competition, donations of any amount would be greatly appreciated. Go to www.s4cglobal.org to make a contribution and for more information on the fight against dolphin and whale slaughter.
 
Come down to the beach and enjoy the day.  Hope to see you there!

 
3 DIVISIONS:
 
     SHORTBOARD TEAM COMPETITION:   ($50.00 Entry per Member) 4 PERSON TEAM
     GROMS 6-15 yrs    (FREE entry)
     TEAM LONGBOARD all ages men & women   ($50.00 Entry Per Member) 4 PERSON TEAM
     SUP BATTLE ROYAL ($50.00 Entry Per Member) 2 PERSON TEAM
 
EVENTS:
  
     MENEHUNE SURF CAMP boards and wetsuits provided if needed, water supervision by experienced surfers at all times
     LIVE MUSIC
     RAFFLE    (All proceeds from raffle donated to Surfer's for Cetaceans)
     DONATION & INFO TABLE
     FOOD by GORILLA BARBEQUE
     AFTER PARTY AT THE PEDRO POINT FIREHOUSE : FEATURED BANDS: THE THRASHERS, MACHETE FIGHT, RHYME RELATED, THE REEF RIDERS
 
ORGANIZING SPONSOR:
 
NOR CAL SURF SHOP
5460 COAST HWY 
PACIFICA, CA 94044
(650) 738-9283 X 2
650-738-2895 FAX
 
FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT:
SHAWN RHODES @ NOR CAL
(650) 738-9283 X2
PUBLIC RELATIONS:
BOB LEONELLI

The important thing to note about the IWC is that although it exists as the singularly peak agency invested with the power to make decisions on the fate of Cetaceans, and is therefore perceived by many in the world as a competent institution acting in the name of conservation, the IWC is in fact a mostly dysfunctional process lacking in any real authority to uphold protection decrees made on behalf of whales.

This is in no small part due to the IWC's original charter back in 1946 when many of the great whales were being relentlessly blasted into extinction. The IWC's intention of creating some restraint to merely maintain a ruthlessly cruel commercial hunt into the future now lies at complete odds with the wish of the world at large to see that whales and dolphins are given their right to oceanic freedom.

Unfortunately year in and year out, despite the efforts of many countries speaking up on behalf of whales, non-lethal science and international whale-watch enterprises, and despite the declaration of sanctuaries, specific species protection listings and trading bans, the sullen killing continues unabated.

Whaling should have been wound down out of existence by the end of the 19th Century in fact, instead of being escalated by human greed into the 20th. Yet we here we are in the 21st Century, in a new interconnected global community, fully aware of our precariously balanced place in a now seriously compromised global ecology, still having to deal with this selfish brutal assault on the benign big hearted keepers of the sea. A noble and ancient race that despite the genocide and trauma we are still inflicting on them, somehow keep on offering us friendship and trust.
 
It is notably three recalcitrant countries Japan, Norway and Iceland which are betraying this friendship and trust instead of helping forge a unified International Whale Celebration event each year, wherein the world could respectfully honour the Cetaceans and in fact take the time to respectfully apologize to them as well.
 
The world must not be fooled by apparently successful outcomes at the IWC into thinking whales are being saved there. Despite the best efforts of so many dedicated NGOs, veteran campaigners, researchers and whale-watch operators, the harsh reality is that the whales are NOT being saved there…

* Not while the blood boats and the factory ship of Japan return each Antarctic summer to slaughter whales in the IWC declared Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. In the name of IWC sanctioned 'science'.
* Not when Norway, despite any objection at the IWC, sneaks up on pregnant Minke whales and shoots them in the back.
* Not while Iceland murders the endangered Fin whale, globally protected by the IWC.
* Not when so called 'small cetaceans' dont even rate a mention at the IWC.
* Not when the tens of thousands of Dalls porpoises massacred every year in Japan don’t warrant consideration by the IWC, despite this being the biggest single slaughter of Cetaceans in the world.
* Not while dolphins herded into the bays of Taiji in Japan or Sandi in the Faroes to be stabbed and slashed, are ignored at the IWC.
* Not while the foetuses torn from their mothers' wombs are excluded from the counts declared at the IWC.
* Not while dolphins, incarcerated in concrete tanks, suffering a miserable decline into early death at the hands of commercial enslavement entertainment agencies, are not on the agenda of the IWC.

And on and on it goes, a catalogue of corruption issues such as bribery, usually in form of cash and prostitutes, conditional overseas development 'aid', false data along with filibuster tactics, trade-offs and ambit claims to divide the like-minded, stall process and block important agenda items. A litany of obstructions wherein high level scientific committee conservation recommendations are roundly ignored, infractions thrown into the too-hard basket, NGO 'civil society' contribution in a week long meeting  limited to 3 speakers at 10 minutes each, whaling delegation walk-outs (as in IWC Berlin 03) and the chairman at this recent IWC in Morocco, declaring a 2 day recess within hours of the conference opening!

And although in Greenland many whales killed every year under “aboriginal license” end up on little plastic trays in supermarket freezers, a new permit, was issued this year, a death warrant on 9 Humpback whales, globally “protected” Humpbacks, along with 19 of their “endangered” Fin whale friends.

Nice words, same catastrophe. Alongside erudite gems from whaling delegates, such as "Minkes are cockroaches of the sea" (Japan); "Minke whales are rats of the ocean" (Norway). Stupid words same catastrophe. The same disregard for life manifests twisted claims in the name of tradition and outdated practices, to justify defying global contemporary shared cultural compassion and Earthcare.

The fact is, you could spend a day inside the plenary room listening to all the blah and not ever know what the hell is being discussed ... the magnificent Whale reduced to numbers and sub-clauses, stripped of the honour of her warm-blooded beauty and emotions. Separating her from her newborn child, warm milk in the sea. Separating her from her partner singing a hauntingly beautiful and plaintive song in a column of blue light. Reducing her to writhing agony in a sea full of blood and vomit, her child a traumatised orphan, an utter disrespect of great Ocean Mother. At the Alaska IWC 07 a smirking Norwegian whaling delegate said 'lets not have this discussion descend into a story about the cute and cuddly'.

The daily broadsheet ECO put out by Earth Island Institute crew at the IWC helps bring the perspective back to the whales, clarify the issues and highlight the Whalers fabrications and distortions. Outside the conference centre in Agadir the walls were lined with beautiful big photos of smiling happy whales in an ultimate act of subversive hypocrisy to hoodwink the perception of the passing public, where the truth would have instead shown the whales harpooned and eviscerated, enslaved and commoditized.

ECO published a cartoon of an elder whale saying to two horrified youngsters "The good news is that scientists say your mother was in perfect health before she was harpooned. The bad news is that she's now Japanese dog food". The original caption was "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but i'm your last role model". To top it all off, at the end of a week of death warrants issued, and NGOs struggling to hold the line, whale killing countries can simply declare disagreement with an edict and arrogantly walk out of the IWC back to their bloody business as usual, with only the Sea Shepherd navy in effect taking direct intervention action to stop them and uphold natural sanity.

The IWC is effective in bringing the world's attention briefly to the plight of the whales but unfortunately not in ending the blight of whaling, once and for all.
 
So in the end, it comes down to every one of us doing something and drawing together to overwhelm the dark heartlessness arraigned against the whales and dolphins, the marine mammals, the sea. Even a supposedly small thing of embracing the vegan/vegetarian ideal is a huge contribution to a collective shift away from abuse of the animal kingdom.
 
In whatever way, big or small, unified by heart and light, we have the power and the gift of human goodness to stand up, speak up and change ourselves for the great friendship, communion and care we can share with our oceanic kin.

There are plenty of good examples of people everywhere doing just that as I write...
* 1000 locals and tourists marching and holding silent vigil against dolphin imprisonment in Turkey;
* 30,000 people in Taiwan pledging the money to buy and protect the 200 hectare wetland habitat of the Chinese white dolphin under threat of draining and development;
* A.G. Sano painting 23,000 dolphins on walls throughout the Phillipines After seeing  'the Cove' by tireless dolphin defender Ric O'Barry;
the likes of Sidney Holt, Roger Payne, Jean Paul Gouin, Paul Spong and Mick McIntyre and other longtime campaigners for the whales;
Trish and Wally Franklin of Oceania Project helping initiate the Humpback Icon Project; Paul Watson's courageous defense of the marine world;
* S4C's initiation of the surfers' ceremony with OPS crew at the Cove in Taiji, and the Transparentsea voyage in the company of Austral Humpbacks, calling on Australia to remain strong as a defender of Cetaceans and a gatekeeper to the great Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

In summation, I write as one of the handful of us who stood everyday outside the IWC in Agadir and raised our voices and banners for every whale and dolphin on Planet Ocean. When Iceland's infamous whale killer sneered at us as "only 9 of you" he seriously underestimated how many we really are. We were representing the vast majority of the world and S4C is calling on all surf crew because we are 100% united on this.

If ever we needed a thousand people to turn up outside the next IWC for that one week that the international media throws a spotlight on whales, it is right now. Please recognise you have the right to be there and hold space for our mates in trouble in the sea. Please get it marked on the calendar, gather your friends and bring your surfboards right on in. Your board is your perfect banner of support for the dolphins and it is your statement of your personal and collective authority. The same holds true of dive crew and your dive gear, sailors and your jenny, bodyboarders and your esky lid…

Surfers For Cetaceans is calling all ocean crew to gather not only wherever we can in support of whales and dolphins, but at the next International Whale Celebration to be held in the same week as the IWC. See you there with your boards in solidarity for total Whale Freedom.

Not enough time to do everything
Plenty of time to do anything
Just enough time to do something

Howie Cooke, S4C Co-founder

S4Cglobal.org    seashepherd.org     whalesalive.org.au    oceania.org.au   savejapandolphins.org  opsociety.org

So our crew of 9 exhausted by our daily vigil outside the IWC and in particular this final day of singing it up for the whales in the sun and weathering the harsh darkness of the whale killers, packed up our banners and left Agadir. It was so good to escape back to Taghazout with Natalie and her fellow not-too-fellow Chicks with Sticks and be shot of the city car crush concrete. The plan was to party but we faded with the first cold beer, our faces on fire.
 
Next day Natalie took October and I up the coast to Immensouane a fishing village with more boats than houses and some surf rolling up to an earthenware beach. The gals jumped in while I walked down to the port finding men totally involved in a life among the blue wooden dories, selling and buying freshly caught fish in a boxing ring of eels, octopus, rays and tragically undersize leopard sharks. As a diver who has marveled at these creatures gliding through their natural environment it was heartbreaking to see them still half alive consigned to this desiccated fate. A wooden crate held cuttlefish stacked in rows their beautifully soulful eyes gradually fading with their mottled brown skin, which is in fact their voice when they are swimming in the sea ...the cephalopods wear their skins like radiant cloaks and flash messages to each other in specific glowing colours and patterns.
 
A little cafe on the breakwater had a mural of white lines on blue showing fishermen and fish. I got out my paints and added colour and changed a fish into a dolphin exclaiming S4C!  Surfers for Cephalopods!  One day, one day....
On our way back we stopped to meet flying goats that were being saved from crashing back to earth by gnarled argane trees. It was tempting to yell  "Hey you kids! Get out of those trees now!"  Further along the way at Camel Beach Nat pointed out a rock, which fully looks like a camel kneeling in the sand. I really thought it was a man made sculpture but in fact there was a real one back on Taghazout beach doing the same thing. Life imitating art.
 
And then when I went the next day to photograph some murals on walls of a crumbling factory I discovered lying in amongst the rubble, flotsam and jetsam, and a dolphin skull. It was a real shock, my coming straight on from the IWC where small cetaceans have no voice. It seemed very auspicious to find her there separated from the sea, separated from her body, separated from her family, her tribe, her heritage and suddenly some murals in particular right nearby took on a whole new significance.  There is a man, a watch on his wrist thrusting his hand into his own eye.  I placed the dolphin in front of this image and the symbolism ramped up. As we decimate the animal kingdom and drag the dolphins out of the sea, we humans are attacking ourselves as we all run out of time.
Our world is fading and we turn a blind eye.

Back in the town a school was undergoing refurbishment. I found the principal and proposed a mural for the kids to come back to. Something positive, to see and strive for, a mother humpback and her calf swimming happily together in the sea became a symbol of hope into the future. A day of intense focus and the wall came to life. I hope the whales will survive and flourish again and that humans will find a way to live in harmony with the living planet.

Well what to say about it all  - the last day ushered in the Greenland quota getting up with a reduction of 1 Humpback so a new species added for next ten years I believe plus 10 Fins, a Death warrant of 19 whales…

UPDATE:

On the last day our group became way more vocal when Chicks with Sticks brought not only their painted up surfboards but an incredibly warped guitar and a small drum to our area near entrance to the IWC.  With the powerful singing of October and Louise thrown into the mix we got a strong groove going and were loud and proud on behalf of the whales of the world becoming loud and angry when we learnt of the signing of a death warrant on 9 Humpback whales (supposedly protected worldwide) and 10 Fins of Greenland waters.

Christine, dressed up in whale colours became a victim of Japan, Iceland and Norway in a theatrical vigil that involved bamboo harpoons and tomato sauce.
The various whaling lobby groups certainly ducked for cover as we maintained the heat on them loudly chanting slogans such as "Conservation not Corruption"  " No Killing No Capture" " Whale Freedom" over an old whaling shanty and  "Wild Thing" with lyrics changed to " we love Minkes, Fins and Humpbacks, no more bloody whaling" or " IWC; Idiots Wasting Cetaceans" and " Love the whales, and the dolphins too, Love the whales, and the ocean blue" "Calling all surfers, calling all divers, calling all sailors.." Someone has to say it … Whales are reduced to dispassionate numbers, tonnage and trading chips on the inside of IWC conference rooms.

And so the meeting limped to an ending in the early afternoon all the energy draining out of it like the life force out a tormented and crippled whale in its final death throes. The protagonists slipped away to their hotel rooms, caught taxis to the airport and for different reasons wondered as they lifted up into the sky, how it had all come to this...yet again. A massively cumbersome and constipated conference that year in and year out sees Government officials and NGOs trying to negotiate a process fraught with devious manipulation and obstruction by the whale killers hell bent on tearing the wings off butterflies as the world watches disappointed and frustrated.

And meanwhile a whole lot of whale families don’t even qualify for consideration at IWC despite the fact that they are being kidnapped and murdered on a grand scale! Consider for a moment the fact that the dolphin slaughter in Japan is actually a commercial hunt, and in particular the Dalls porpoise suffers the largest directed kill of any cetacean in the world with annual estimates as high as 20,000 over the last two decades. The pressure on Dalls populations increased in the mid-80s as the baleen whale catch decreased and as striped dolphin populations in southern Japan crashed due to massive hunting. In 1988 when Japan stopped its coastal commercial hunt on Minke whales, the Dalls catch quadrupled to a record 40,000 plus animals killed.

To quote from a Campaign Whale/EIA pamphlet " in 2008, we learnt of the tragic loss of the Baiji. This serves as the starkest of warnings to IWC member governments that the conservation of all cetaceans, large or small, must be central to the Commission’s future role."

Well don’t hold your breath for that one. Hold your breath as you slip under a wave, on your way back out to another blissful slide across a green or turquoise wall of saltwater… Remember your lil happy mates in their squeaky birthday suits dropping in alongside you on a perfect day. Hold your breath in awe and hold your breath in heartfelt gratitude and remember you are their best hope they have now.
 
Three great young women from Chicks with Sticks made their way to the IWC gabfest in Morocco. Natalie and October came from England, Daisy from New Zealand Nat and Daisy brought their boards, October brought her voice and Nori came from Portugal with her beautiful artwork of whales. Along with four Sea Shepherd crew out of Europe and Louise from NW Australia we were a small band with a big voice but we needed you, with your board.

S4C is calling on surfers and ocean crew everywhere to plan now to be at the next IWC no matter what sort of swell you might miss. Give it to your mates that week… You know them, our best friends, The dolphins… Drop in and stand up for the whales. Too easy… Before it’s too late.
 
Howie Cooke
S4C Co-founder

Howie Cooke of S4C along with Sea Shepherd crew and a few other anti whaling supporters have been maintaining a strong visual and vocal presence outside the conference centre in Agadir, Morocco as the IWC once again staggers to a conclusion with interruptions, extended tea breaks and more allegations of corruption by Japan's whaling lobby. The failure of the so called Deal which would have overturned the Moratorium and reinstated commercial whaling has been a momentary success which however means little to the whales of both the northern and southern hemispheres who continue to be slaughtered by a heavily subsidised industry ruthlessly determined to expand despite worldwide condemnation. S4C and Sea Shepherd remain utterly committed to the quest for total whale and dolphin freedom.

International Whaling Commission (IWC), 62

FEET ON THE GROUND Part 1

June 21st 2010

Agadir, Morocco

The IWC 62 opened this morning in Agadir, Morocco against a sun-bleached Atlantic Ocean backdrop with local Moroccan dancers. The mood was one of confusion and / or anticipation over the future of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Some questions:

Will the IWC accept or reject the Chairs compromise proposal (more commonly known as the 10 year whaling free for all)?

Will Australia stay strong in their opposition to this compromise?

Will the USA and NZ continue to sell out the whales by promoting this 10-year whaling deal?

Will Japan walk out of the IWC if the whaling deal is rejected?

Will Greenland and Denmark con the commission (and the EU) into allowing an additional aboriginal quota of 10 Humpbacks?

Will the IWC finally act on the vote buying corruption scandal (following a series of exposes by the Sunday Times in the UK)?

Some answers:

Well, we didn’t get much of a chance to find out…

After the opening formalities, the Acting Chair Anthony Liverpool (Antigua and Barbuda) suspended the meeting until Wednesday!!!

It turns out this move was made to allow the Commissioners to meet behind closed doors (away from public scrutiny!) to try and agree on the compromise proposal (whaling deal).

NZ and the USA were continuing to lead the cause to try and find an agreement on the whaling deal (How did it get to this?). So, the meeting is now being held behind closed doors and a DEAL is being struck. Will it succeed??? We have to be vigilant and make sure that enough countries vote against this shameful whaling package.

Make no mistake this DEAL would spell the end of the moratorium. Once we lose the moratorium, it will take generations to stop commercial whaling again…

Hopefully at the end of tomorrow’s closed session we will know where the proposal stands. And perhaps the meeting can resume in the public domain, with civil society participating.


Mick McIntyre,
Director, Whales Alive

Howie rolled into town to get down on some illustrations for the Minds in the Water film. Always a pleasure to have his bubbling energy and knowledge on current affairs within the whaling issue. We had some mega download sessions and we are all very proud of his leadership within the S4C team as of late. Please send collective energy for the whales, dolphins and general well being of the seas come June. 21st as the annual IWC meeting starts in Morocco. Crucial year for the whales as there is a proposal to legitimize commercial whaling for the Japanese, Norway and Iceland for the next 10 years... Give them an inch and they will take a mile....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—June 1st, 2010

CONTACT:    Surfers For Cetaceans
                      Attn: Justin Krumb
                      info@s4cglobal.org
                      760-473-4134


Surfers for Cetaceans (S4C) congratulates and supports the Australian Government on its announcement (Friday 28 May 10am AEST) that it will commence legal proceedings against Japan on the issue of whaling.

The action, to be lodged at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, is primarily against Japan's continued whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary (SOWS) under the guise of  'science'. S4C notes that Australia must stand strong against whaling by any name in the SOWS. It is an internationally ratified whale sanctuary and therefore whales must be completely safe and in complete freedom.

“Our collective effort to defend the whales right to live is crucial at this point in time.” Says S4C ambassador, Dave Rastovich. “Whichever way you direct your compassionate activism, send it now to the whales.  Be it through art, written word, direct intervention, public protest or lobbying now is the time to continue our pressure and stay on point with our efforts to stop the tragedy of whaling.”

It is to be hoped that in taking this action prior to the International Whaling Commission meeting in Morocco in June, Australia will positively influence the agenda and reinvigorate the 'likeminded' activists, whether government or NGO to unite purposefully against whaling everywhere and to resist all efforts by the whaling lobby to collapse the Moratorium on whaling which has been in place since 1986.

Howie Cooke, S4C co-founder states "Australia can now lead the way forward and away from proposals to reinstate commercial whaling and instead help consolidate a genuine international movement toward total whale freedom. The whale sanctuaries around the world, large or small, need to be fully honoured. It is high time and long overdue, to see off once and for all this cruel barbaric anachronism that doesn’t even deserve a job description."

S4C also notes that the announcement puts Japan on notice at the same time that they continuing to prosecute Captain Peter Bethune, skipper of the ill-fated Ady Gil, which was sunk by illegal whalers in January of this year. We extend our support to Sea Shepherd for actually confronting the whalers, alerting the world, staying resolute and holding the line despite all intimidations and obstructions placed before them.

Surfers for Cetaceans as a voice for the international surfing community recognises the dedication of the Sea Shepherd crews and congratulates Captain Paul Watson on his unflinching courage and vision.

Surfers for Cetaceans (S4C) is committed to activating ocean-minded people everywhere to support the conservation and protection of whales, dolphins and their habitat. It’s through compassion, awareness, education, media and dedicated interventions that we operate. We seek to be a human voice for and defender of cetaceans worldwide. Visit www.s4cglobal.org for more info.

END

CONTACT:    Surfers For Cetaceans
                      Attn: Justin Krumb
                      info@s4cglobal.org
                      760-473-4134

Australia will initiate legal action in the International Court of Justice in The Hague against
Japanese ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean.
The decision underlines the Government’s commitment to bring to an end Japan’s
program of so-called ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean. It also demonstrates our
commitment to do what it takes to end whaling globally.
The Australian Government has not taken this decision lightly. We have been patient and
committed in our efforts to find a diplomatic resolution to this issue. We have engaged in
intensive discussions in the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and bilaterally with
Japan.
We have enjoyed the support of many other IWC members who share Australia's
concerns and goals. We commend countries of the European Union, the Buenos Aires
group of Latin American countries, and others who have joined with Australia in
highlighting, in particular, the necessity for phasing out whaling in the Southern Ocean
Sanctuary.
But to date, the response of the whaling countries has not been positive. Recent
statements by whaling countries in the Commission have provided Australia with little
cause for hope that our serious commitment to conservation of the world’s whales will be
reflected in any potential IWC compromise agreement.
The Government has always been firm in our resolve that if we could not find a diplomatic
resolution to our differences over this issue, we would pursue legal action. The
Government’s action fulfils that commitment.
Australia will remain closely engaged in the IWC process and will continue to work hard in
the lead up to and at the IWC meeting in June to pursue our objectives While an
outcome at that meeting which meets Australia’s fundamental conservation objectives is
slim, the Government will continue to engage constructively in the diplomatic effort.
Australia and Japan share a comprehensive strategic, security and economic partnership.
We share a substantial commercial relationship built over many decades, growing
strategic and security linkages, and work together closely in key international forums such
as the G20, the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and APEC.
The Government’s action today reflects a disagreement in one element of a relationship
that is deep, broad and multi-dimensional.
Both Australia and Japan have agreed that, whatever our differences on whaling, this
issue should not be allowed to jeopardise the strength and the growth of our bilateral
relationship.
At the same time, the Australian Government will keep working tirelessly to achieve an
end to whaling in the Southern Ocean, and we will use all legal and diplomatic avenues to
achieve our goal.
A formal application will be lodged in The Hague early next week.
Media contacts:
Ben Pratt (Garrett) 0419 968 734
Courtney Hoogen (Smith) 0488 244 901

We have come a long way in a short time.
Once nearly driven from our oceans, the worlds largest mammals are on their way
back.
But only by continuing to work together will we ensure their long-term survival.
We are now at the cross-roads: some countries want to retreat to the old days of
legitimised whale-hunting, continuing as they have done previously under the charade
of scientific research.
Others, who have banded together with a strong conservation focus - Australia
amongst them - are continuing to take up the fight.
This speech is an appeal to nations and NGOs at a historic moment in the push for the
worldwide conservation of whales.

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

Today I want to address one of the most vexed international public policy issues we have
faced in recent times, one that successive Australian governments have grappled with since
the early 1980’s when Australia supported the introduction of a moratorium on commercial
whaling.
This was a landmark event in global efforts to protect cetaceans.
And, for a nation which just 50 years earlier had six whaling stations in operation on the east
and west coasts, that decision was truly a paradigm shift as was the subsequent 1982
agreement of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to that moratorium.
Within five years of the IWC’s adoption of the moratorium, Chile, Peru, Spain, the USSR and
Korea all ended their commercial whaling.
2
But as this audience and the Australian people know only too well, thanks to the images
beamed into our homes courtesy of television news footage every summer, it was not the
end of whaling altogether.
While in the final year before the international agreement on the moratorium nearly 14,000
whales were killed, the fact remains that today around 1,600 whales are still killed annually,
despite that international moratorium.
Three countries continue to sit outside the tent of international consensus. Norway and
Iceland killed more than 688 whales in 2009/10, under objections and reservations to the
moratorium.
The third country – Japan – killed 1004 whales in 2008/09, including 681 in the Southern
Ocean, exploiting a loophole under Article VIII of the International Convention under which
countries purport to issue themselves whaling quotas in the name of ‘science’.
As a result, far from becoming an organisation committed to the global conservation of the
worlds whale species, the IWC has instead been grid-locked for decades, on account of the
activities of these three member states.
Instead of constructive dialogue, deliberations at the Commission are characterised by
ritualised name calling and table thumping, of pro conservation versus whaling and supporter
nations.
This is a clearly unsatisfactory state of affairs and it is time for change; time for resolution,
time for the Organisation to come into the 21st Century.
It’s especially time for procedural and scientific rigour to be put in place, time for the IWC to
refashion itself and look outward to the state of the world’s cetaceans: dolphins, porpoises
and of course the great whales.
Australia’s approach to the IWC
Australian’s sees first-hand the beauty of these creatures, but we also see what takes place
every year in the waters to our south.
We see the arrival of the whaling fleet, and the dangerous clashes with environmentalists in
the Southern Ocean.
We are told of whale meat sold in supermarkets and yet we hear that it is taken in the name
of science.
The Japanese have increased their whale quotas over recent years to more than double
what they were when they first eschewed the moratorium. Norway and Iceland's quotas are
also increasing.
Although the IWC in its initial decades presided over the systematic over-exploitation of
whales, the modern era has brought some successes including:
· the moratorium on commercial whaling; and
· the establishment of whale sanctuaries.
3
Largely as a result of the moratorium we are seeing welcome signs of recovery in some
whale populations.
Many of us have now had the experience of watching humpback whales which are
increasingly numerous along the east coast of Australia.
But, worryingly, some populations, for example the humpback whales of Fiji, are showing no
signs of recovery.
Even the population of Antarctic blue whales, the largest mammal to have ever lived, remains
at less than 2% of their pre-whaling numbers.
Yes, some claim that the IWC is dysfunctional and on the verge of collapse.
But in the absence of any other kind of relevant international forum Australia still regards the
IWC as the primary international body with the responsibility to conserve and manage
cetaceans.
We recognise that whilst there are many difficulties and challenges we say it is time to shake
off the shackles of perpetual dissension and take another big step forward, just as nations did
when the moratorium was introduced a few short decades ago.
In fact we believe there is now the opportunity to build on the successes of the past to bring
the IWC into line with modern conservation focussed international organisations, capable of
effectively addressing contemporary environmental challenges.
At present much of the collective work of the Commission and its members is undermined by
the Convention provisions under which signatory countries opt-out of responsible collective
management through:
· the use of reservations and objections, and
· the self-issue of whaling quotas under the Article VIII special permit scientific whaling
provision.
As we know, it is the resulting tensions between countries and procedural difficulties that
hamper constructive moves towards modernising the IWC.
As such, action to address real emerging threats to cetaceans such as climate change,
fishery activities, marine pollution, poorly regulated whale watching industries, ship strikes
and habitat disturbance remains a stunted aspiration.
It is why, since coming to government, we have pursued a multi-faceted approach to the
reform of the Commission, advancing proposals to make the Commission more conservation
focused, to close the loopholes and to break the gridlock and to engage in real science which
truly informs our understanding of the problems experienced by cetaceans worldwide.
The Rudd Government’s approach has been a significant departure from the more
obstructionist yet ultimately futile efforts of our domestic political opponents.
We have been and remain fully committed to pursuing a permanent end to all commercial
and so-called scientific whaling and to advancing whale research and conservation,
nationally, regionally and globally.
4
To this end the Government has invested $32 million over six years to further whale research
and conservation.
Important activities under this program include:
· the world’s largest non-lethal international whale research program - the Southern
Ocean Research Partnership,
· groundbreaking non-lethal cetacean research undertaken or coordinated by the
Australian Marine Mammal Centre, based at the Australian Antarctic Division, and
· Conservation Management Plans to protect whales from new and emerging threats
like ship-strikes, climate change, and habitat degradation.
We are particularly proud of the Southern Ocean Research Partnership, and I had the
pleasure of launching this year’s voyage alongside the New Zealand Minister for Research
Science, Dr Wayne Mapp.
It goes without saying that this approach to scientific research stands in stark contrast to that
of Japan and its current ‘special permit’ program (JARPA II).
In our view there is simply no need to kill whales to learn more about them.
The Partnership also reflects our commitment to linking our whale research to IWC scientific
and conservation priorities in the Southern Ocean.
By working closely with other IWC partners we are establishing strategic linkages with other
relevant non-lethal international research efforts, and ensuring that we share the rationale,
methodologies and results of the research.
However our commitment to reform is also why, for nearly two years now, the Government
has been engaged in the discussions within a Small Working Group process established by
the IWC to assist the Commission to resolve a number of intractable issues which have
eluded agreement in the past.
The Future of the IWC
What has been clearly demonstrated through the negotiations is that reforming treaties and
conventions written long ago is no easy matter.
That said, at its 60th annual meeting in Santiago in June 2008, the IWC did embrace the need
for reform, and created the Small Working Group charged with assisting the Commission to
arrive at a consensus solution to the main issues it faces.
Australia has actively contributed to efforts to identify the elements of a reform package for
the IWC. But we have also done so on the proviso that we will not write a blank cheque for
open ended dialogue.
We have always said that the process must deliver on our key goal – better conservation of
the world’s whale species.
Just last week a critical juncture was reached. Notwithstanding the best efforts of officials
from Australia and others participating in the Support Group set up to advise the IWC Chair,
the Support Group discussions did not result in any consensus on the best way forward.
5
Australia believes the proposal before us falls well short of any outcome that Australia could
accept. And now New Zealand, previously a proponent of compromise, has stepped back
from the proposal put forward by the IWC Chair.
We have a number of objections to the package put forward.
It proposes that IWC parties accept the legitimacy of limited commercial whaling and agree to
a quota on the number of whales that can be killed each year for the next decade by Japan,
Norway and Iceland. The package effectively rewards those who have opted out of IWC
management decisions of in the past.
It proposes the sanctioning of whaling in an IWC sanctuary – the Southern Ocean Whale
Sanctuary-and to allow coastal whaling off Japan.
The arrangement would also allow whaling on threatened species including sei and fin
whales and it would establish the quotas of whales to be killed through ad-hoc measures,
which the arrangement’s supporters claim are scientific but are not based on any IWC
agreed scientific procedures.
Critically, the proposed arrangement also fails to provide a guaranteed mechanism or
timetable to address the reform of Article VIII on scientific whaling, to close the loophole
under which the Japanese have claimed their use of a grenade tipped harpoon as whaling
constitutes ‘science’.
In short, we believe that should the Chair’s proposal be implemented without substantive
change, it would set whale conservation back by decades.
Sanctuary status would remain a paper protection. Yes, the establishment of a South
Atlantic Whale Sanctuary would be a positive step under the proposed agreement, and one
which pro-conservation countries have sought for many years. But this achievement would
be greatly devalued if the arrangement simultaneously sanctions whaling in the Southern
Ocean Sanctuary.
Some argue that that the proposed ten-year arrangement would be an improvement over the
status quo since whaling would be controlled.
There would be an agreed cap on the number of whales killed, and only the three countries
currently whaling would be allowed to kill whales.
They argue that there will be a significant reduction in the number of whales killed, with as
many as 5000 whales to be saved over 10 years, and that this should be the main criterion
upon which the entire arrangement should be assessed.
It is not clear whether any reductions will be benchmarked against the quotas which the three
whaling countries issue themselves or against the actual number of whales taken, which are
often much lower than the quotas.
Of course, at first glance any reduction in the number of whales killed sounds positive. A
diplomatic agreement that got us a step closer to achieving an end to whaling could be a
positive step.
6
But the numbers in the current proposal have been put forward by the IWC Chair, not the
whaling nations who have refused to offer any credible reductions despite that being one of
the premises upon which the Support Group was constituted.
Consequently there is no indication yet that whaling countries will agree to them. Right now,
the so-called reductions exist on paper only. In effect, they are paper whales.
And we need to ask the critical question: what price are we being asked to pay for these
reductions, if they were to be agreed?
The number of whales to be killed is only one aspect of this arrangement. Critically, the
arrangement would not close the scientific whaling loophole.
Even worse, discussions on how to achieve this are put off until later in the ten year period.
And if all that is not bad enough the whaling nations want the costs of funding the proposed
new provisions to monitor and inspect the way the whalers are conducting their hunts and
managing the distribution of whale meat and whale products, to be shared across the IWC
membership.
In effect this is asking the Australian taxpayer to foot the bill for supporting whaling
operations around the world. It should not surprise others that we find much to object to on
this count.
Moreover, the arrangement says nothing about what will happen at the end of the ten year
period.
We hold concerns that if limited commercial whaling is sanctioned and guaranteed for the
next ten years, this may have the unforeseen consequence of breathing new life into this
dying industry.
Iceland has already indicated it wishes to engage in increased international trade in whale
meat and whale products. This would surely represent a very real first step in the
dismantling of the moratorium.
Australia’s proposal
We believe that whales are worth more alive than dead. Simple.
Whilst we have advanced scientific, principled arguments to support our position, we also
firmly believe in the economic benefits that can be reaped through the conservation of
whales.
The commercial whaling industry today is in decay, with ageing infrastructure, low and falling
demand, oversupply, and increasing debt sustained only through government subsidies.
Left to market forces, this industry would and should be long gone.
Compare this with the thriving and growing global whale watching industry.
In 2008, 13 million people participated in whale watching in 119 countries and territories,
generating total revenues of $2.1 billion. Whale watching revenues have doubled in just over
a decade.
7
Up and down the coasts of Australia, and around the world, hundreds of thousands of people
travel to see firsthand these great sea creatures. And this number is growing.
It is estimated that 3,300 operators offer whale watching trips around the world employing an
estimated 13,200 people.
The IWC is in an ideal position to provide the practical tools and advice for countries
developing their whale watching industries to help them to minimize the impacts on whales
and their environment.
The Australian Government has therefore looked beyond the superficial attraction of a shortterm
reduction in the number of whales killed, and instead put forward a strong conservation
focused proposal.
Our proposal addresses the fundamental flaws of the Chair’s proposal and charts a new way
forward which contains the elements of compromise but necessarily demands concessions
from both sides of the debate, not just our own.
The key elements of our proposal are:
· a swift and internationally agreed end to Southern Ocean whaling, including in the
Southern Ocean sanctuary
· for all whaling (other than current aboriginal subsistence whaling) to be phased down
within a reasonable timeframe, including the phasing down and out of whaling in the
Southern Ocean within five years
· an immediate halt to the issuing of ‘scientific whaling’ permits, and
· an immediate end to the hunting of vulnerable and endangered species.
We will continue to push hard to achieve a more robust and balanced proposal than the one
currently on the table.
Our proposal introduces substantially greater conservation outcomes. It explicitly calls for
the maintenance of the moratorium and rejects the use of interim measures dressed up as
the ‘best available science’ to determine whale quotas for the ten year duration of the
package.
And it would not allow whaling on threatened populations or on those populations where
scientific knowledge is poor or unavailable.
Unrealistic? I don’t think so.
While our proposal explicitly recognises that our end goal – the permanent elimination of all
whaling other than aboriginal subsistence whaling – will be difficult to achieve immediately, to
acquiesce to a proposal that asks us to abandon the gains of the past, is not a place that I
hope many nations would wish to be in the future.
I have been speaking to counterparts all around the world over the last few weeks – many
are supportive –and I will be ramping-up that dialogue in the weeks to come.
With the June meeting of the IWC looming as the critical deadline for negotiations, the
Government will mobilise our diplomatic resources in the coming weeks to make clear our
views.
8
The IWC proposal – which would legitimise the commercial whaling of nearly 1300 whales
per year– falls well short of any outcome that Australia could accept.
We have said consistently, that we are prepared to take international legal action to stop so
called ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean.
We have asked officials to prepare detailed options for the Government, including the option
of legal action to stop Japan’s ‘scientific’ whaling.
As we weigh up all the relevant developments, if we judge that we are unlikely to achieve our
objectives diplomatically, the Government will be ready to proceed with legal action.
Conclusion
In the face of significant opposition, Australia has stayed strong in its commitment to whale
conservation.
We have won welcome support for our position from other allies, particularly in South
America and some countries in Europe.
We have seen genuine engagement among IWC member nations on the need to reform the
IWC and acknowledgment of the need for a more pro-conservation agenda for the
organisation.
But with the release of final papers for the annual IWC meeting this past week, one thing is
very clear – we are still far from consensus.
So I’ll conclude by clearly restating our position.
We remain resolutely opposed to commercial and so-called ‘scientific’ whaling.
We are committed to the moratorium on commercial whaling, and we want to see an end to
whaling in the Southern Ocean.
We recognise the significant difficulties to be overcome to achieve this goal.
But we are considering all our options, diplomatic and legal, in the period ahead.
Looking forward to the June meeting in Agadir, I expect the discussion will be serious and
intense. If it comes to a vote, numbers on the floor of the IWC will be close as a 75 per cent
majority is required for a proposal to be endorsed.
It is critical that the voices and opinions of civil society are heard on this issue in the scant
few weeks we have left before IWC 62.
To this end, I can assure you that until the meeting itself, the Government will be working
hard, both publicly and behind closed doors in an effort to drive real reform at the IWC.
Australia, and all those who are campaigning for an end to whaling hope that in the lead up
to this years IWC meeting in Morocco, member nations can rediscover that same spirit of
cooperation that allowed the Commission to agree to a moratorium on commercial whaling
back in 1982.
9
We must seize the moment and move forward on the conservation of these great sea
creatures, and ensure their future for generations to come.
[ENDS]

Commercial whaling could get green light for first time in nearly 25 years
A proposal announced today by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) would, for the first time in almost 25 years, endorse the killing of whales in one of their most critical feeding grounds - the Southern Ocean.
 
In an effort to bring Japan, Norway and Iceland’s continued whaling under the IWC’s control, the Chair of the IWC has proposed giving these countries official commercial whaling quotas for the next 10 years.
 
“The proposed quotas are not set using the IWC’s own scientific methods, but are a result of political bargaining which has little if anything to do with the whales themselves,” said Rob Nicoll, WWF-Australia’s Antarctic and Southern Oceans Initiative Manager.

(Sydney, Australia – 23 April 2010) – The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW –www.ifaw.org) announced that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has released a new plan to legalize commercial whaling.
 
The proposal, if adopted, would overturn the 1986 ban on commercial whaling by authorizing whaling by Norway, Iceland, and Japan. It would also legalize Japan’s whaling in an internationally recognized whale sanctuary around Antarctica, grant new rights to Japan, Iceland, and Norway to kill whales for commercial purposes, and ignore established IWC scientific procedures for estimating sustainable whaling limits.
 
The plan, released today by the IWC Secretariat based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, is to be considered and acted on in June at the IWC’s annual meeting in Agadir, Morocco.
 
“This plan is a whaler’s wish list,” said Patrick Ramage, IFAW’s Whale Program Director. “It throws a lifeline to a dying industry when endangered whale populations face more threats than ever before. This would be a breathtaking reversal of decades of conservation progress at the IWC.”
 
The IWC, which is comprised of 88-member governments, is the global body responsible for conservation of our planet's great whales. Three member countries – Japan, Norway, and Iceland – have continued to hunt whales, ignoring the worldwide commercial whaling ban. The proposed plan proposes annual whale-hunting quotas for these countries under the discretion of the IWC.
 
The current proposal would also:
 
Overturn the global ban on commercial whaling and allow hunting in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary around Antarctica.
Approve the killing of whales for commercial purposes by Japan around Antarctica and in the North Pacific.
Add new rights for Japan to hunt whales in its coastal waters.
Allow continuing whaling by Iceland and Norway in violation of long-agreed scientific procedures and the global whaling ban.
 
“Australia offered a proposal which saw a phase out of whaling down to zero – the only number that should be considered in the 21st Century,” said Erica Martin, Director IFAW Asia Pacific.
 
“This package, in contrast, rewards Japan, Iceland and Norway for decades of whaling in defiance of international law.”
 
 “We trust Australia will maintain its courageous stand and continue to fight against this proposal. And we encourage New Zealanders and Americans to raise their voices in anger that their governments would push forward this dangerous deal that will see a return to commercial whaling.”
 
“Any nation that claims to be in favour of whale conservation cannot accept this package. It can and must be rejected.”

On the 12th January 2010, various marine conservationists and groups joined forces in support of  Sea Shepherd to condemn the ramming of the Ady Gil and the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary by the Japanese whaling fleet.

It was a colorful and vocal demonstration with about 50 protesters and almost as many policemen.  People chanted ‘no whaling’ and ‘Japan out now’ whilst passing traffic honked horns in support of Sea Shepherd’s courageous direct action against the brutal and illegal slaughter of whales and dolphins.


Speakers from Sea Shepherd, Surfers for Cetaceans, Byron Whale Action group, Greens Party and Remove Shark Nets.com, spoke with passion and conviction about the violation of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary by Japan. Equally the Australian Government was called upon to act on its pre-election promises to take Japan to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) now, given that diplomacy at the IWC has clearly failed.


Letters from five conservation groups addressed to the Prime Minister of Japan were delivered in person by Dean Jefferys of BWAG and Howie Cooke of S4C to the Japanese Deputy Consul. The letters were calling on the Japanese Government to cease whaling and remove their whaling fleet immediately from the Southern Ocean Whaling Sanctuary, to honor the moratorium on whaling and join the international the celebration of whales.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

TRANSPARENTSEA
A MODERN VOYAGE WITH ANCIENT CREATURES
Byron Bay to Bondi
October 1st – November 5th
www.transparentseavoyage.com

SURFERS STAND-UP TO WHALING
AS TRANSPARENTSEA ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS INITIATIVE FINISHES AT BONDI

(Thursday, November 5th, Bondi Beach, NSW, Australia): The anti-whaling and environmental awareness campaign initiated by professional free-surfer and activist Dave Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, NSW, AUS) reached its exciting conclusion at Bondi Beach, Sydney today following an epic and testing 36 day voyage by sea which began at Byron Bay on October 1st.
 
Dubbed “Transparentsea” the campaign takes aim at the Australian Government’s lack of action on Japanese whaling activity in the Southern Ocean, as well as highlighting areas of environmental concern along Australia’s eastern seaboard.
 
Rastovich and his fellow campaigners, including surfer/artist Chris Del Moro (San Diego, CA, USA), musician Will Conner (Byron Bay, NSW, AUS), activist Howie Cooke (Byron Bay, NSW, AUS) and photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, NSW, AUS) were welcomed to shore by hundreds of well-wishers and supporters, having accrued nearly 800km at sea in their trimaran kayaks, as they traced the path of migrating humpback whales south.
 
Rastovich, who in 2005 co-founded the group “Surfers for Cetaceans” and was this year one of just 300 invitees to Al Gore’s “The Climate Project” Asia Pacific Summit in Melbourne, recounted the incredible personal interaction he and his team had experienced alongside whales during their journey and encouraged the Australian public and all-like minded people to pressure Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett to uphold their pre-election promises.
 
“Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett told the Australian people they would enforce and uphold international laws that would prevent the Japanese from targeting whales in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. To date they have not acted on these promises,” said Rastovich.
 
“We’re here as representatives of the global surfing community and all people who are passionate about saving these amazing mammals, and we’re asking Rudd and Garrett to act now and do what they said they were going to do.”
 
“Everyone we’ve encountered during our trip, in every coastal town and at every beach, has been shocked to learn the Government is not acting on this issue,” said Rastovich.
 
During their frequent stops down the coast, the Transparentsea team in conjunction with Surfrider Foundation and Tangaroa Blue also initiated beach-cleanups with all the rubbish collected, tabulated and added to the National Marine Debris database.
 
“This journey has given us first-hand experience, undeniable proof, that our beaches may look good from far, but they are far from good. We visited beaches that did not have a single human footprint yet they’re covered with plastic and other forms of garbage that damage ecosystems and enter the food chain where it stays forever,” Rastovich added.
 
Rastovich asked that anyone who cared about the whaling issue to send a message to their local council or addressed direct to Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd, to prompt the government into action.

ANTI-WHALING & ENVIRO CAMPAIGN TO CULMINATE  AT BONDI Thursday, November 5th INVITATION TO PUBLIC AND MEDIA

(Tuesday, November 3rd, Manly, NSW, Australia):

Following an epic 700km ocean odyssey tracing the trail of migrating humpback whales from Byron Bay, the group of anti-whaling environmental campaigners led by professional free-surfer and activist Dave Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, NSW) is on track to culminate at Bondi Beach this Thursday at 11am.

An invitation is extended to media and the public wishing to participate in the finale of the 36-day adventure dubbed “Transparentsea”.

It is anticipated that hundreds of supporters will escort Rastovich, musician Will Conner (Byron Bay, NSW), surfer/artist Chris Del Moro (Sand Diego, USA) and photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, NSW) as they negotiate their trimaran sea kayaks, the last few hundred metres to shore.

Following their safe arrival, the Transparentsea team will share the experiences of their epic adventure, which includes an untold number of encounters with whales, dolphins and other marine life, plus visits to many of Australia’s East Coast’s secluded, yet polluted beaches, that began on October 1st.

The paddle-out is being coordinated with the assistance of the Bondi Lifeguards and is open to any able-bodied person with a board that floats!

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is also assisting with the placement of a large 5m sculpture of a Minke whale that features a harpoon through its head adorned by a small Japanese flag.

Says Rastovich: “The primary intention of our journey has been to highlight the plight of whales that are destined for the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets. As surfers, we have a direct connection with these amazing creatures and during the past 30 days, we’ve had the fortune of interacting with them, almost on a daily basis.

“Now we are calling on people to show their support and to join us in putting pressure on the Australian Government, lead by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and our Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, to uphold their pre-election promise to challenge Japanese whaling in international court and to protect the Southern Ocean sanctuary.”

Photo and interview opportunities will be available for media wishing to cover this unique event.   In addition a full press release, rights free pictures and a television newsfeed will be distributed later in the day.

“Transparentsea”
 BONDI PADDLE-OUT
Where: Central Bondi Beach, Rescue Tower.
When: meet 10:00am for 11:00am paddle
Who: Any able-bodied person with a board that floats!
Media: 10:30 – 11:30am

For more info, please see the links below, or contact:
Media contact: jj@premiummedia.com.au
Mobile: +61 (0) 421 384 431

About Transparentsea:
The primary intention of the Transparentsea journey is to draw attention to the plight of the migrating whales that ultimately are destined for the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets.
In addition, the Transparentsea team will record and highlight other areas of environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; the state of rivers and estuaries; and where necessary they will also initiate beach clean-ups.

After 19 days of surfing, paddling and sailing their way down the NSW coast, the environmental awareness group led by pro surfer Dave Rastovich has successfully passed the halfway point of their intended 700km, 36 day voyage from Byron Bay to Sydney’s Bondi Beach.  
 
Titled “Transparentsea” the initiative, which began on October 1st, aims to draw attention to the plight of the migrating humpback whales as the team follows their path south and to highlight issues of environmental concern to do with Australia’s East Coast.
 
Speaking from Point Plomer near Crescent Head on Day 20, Rastovich acknowledged the numerous, unforgettable whale and dolphin encounters his team had experienced. However, the alarming amount of debris that has been located and collected at the various locations the team has visited is a concern.
 
“At times, adult humpback whales and their calves have chosen to surface two feet away from our kayaks, which has just been amazing,” explained Rastovich.
 
“We’ve also camped in some of the most beautiful beachside campgrounds and surfed those beaches, but picked up hundreds and hundreds pieces of plastic and rubbish in places that look ‘Good from far, but are far from good’,” he added.
 
Rastovich, who says his team is on track to reach Bondi by the planned date of November 5th, also urged everyone who shared the vision of the Transparentsea environmental awareness initiative to support the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founded by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson.
 
Rastovich noted that the Sea Shepherd is the only organisation planning to send a vessel to help defend the whales in the Southern Ocean sanctuary from Japanese whalers in December. While Watson has been a focus of the media after Australian Immigration denied his entry based on issues to do with his visa.
 
“It has been very disappointing to learn that the Australian Government recently obstructed Paul Watson’s entry to Australia, rather than welcoming him as a great defender of the whales,” said Rastovich.
 
“Instead of upholding their pre election promise to challenge Japanese whaling in international court and to protect the Southern Ocean sanctuary, the Australian Government appears to have turned their back on the whales that are once again under threat.”
 
It’s anticipated that dozens of surfers and well wishers will welcome the Transparentsea voyagers, which includes Rastovich, fellow surfer, artist and activist Chris Del Moro (San Diego, CA, USA), musician Will Conner (Byron Bay, NSW), photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, NSW), a support team and special guests, when they negotiate the last few hundred metres from the sea to the shore at Bondi Beach on November 5th.

Each day on arrival at the beaches, the Transparentsea crew and members of the community partake in beach cleanups. The rubbish is collected, counted and the data added to the National Marine Debris database.

The National Marine Debris Initiative is a project aimed at empowering
local communities and individuals to take ownership of their local beaches by regularly removing the rubbish, in particular plastics that arrive or is dropped or dumped on their shores.

100,000 marine animals and 1 million sea birds die every year from
ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris. In every square mile ofocean is an estimated 46,000 pieces of marine debris.

Members of the community are invited to come along to the cleanups. Visit surfrider.org.au/transparentsea for information on how you can be
involved.

In addition, the Transparentsea team in cooperation with Surfrider
Foundation and Tangaroa Blue will record and highlight other areas of
environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing
industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with
agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; the state of
rivers and estuaries; and where necessary they will also initiate beach
clean-ups.

Professional free-surfer and environmental campaigner David Rastovich will attempt an epic 700km ocean paddle from Byron Bay to Bondi Beach this October.

The journey aims to follow the annual migration south of humpback whales and their calves while raising awareness of the need to protect the majestic mammals and the world's ocean environments.

Twenty nine year-old Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, AUS) is using the paddle to extend his personal environmental journey which in 2006 saw him co-found the “Surfers for Cetaceans” movement and in July this year saw him granted one of just 200 invitations to attend former US Vice President Al Gore’s The Climate Project - Asia-Pacific Summit.

On October 1st “Rasta”, accompanied by world-class water photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, AUS) and a videographer who will help chronicle the event, will step from the sands of Main Beach, Byron Bay and begin the journey in single-seat sea kayaks.

Joining them will be Chris Del Moro (Los Angeles, USA) a respected free surfer, activist, artist and co-director of Surfers for Cetaceans.

Assisted only by the wind and waves, Rasta and his cohorts will paddle the entire distance aiming to reach Bondi by November 5th. Each afternoon they will paddle to the nearest beach, rest overnight, engage with local communities and – conditions permitting – take advantage of the local surf.

The primary intention of the journey is to draw attention to the plight of the migrating whales that ultimately are destined for the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets.

In addition, the team will record and highlight other areas of environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing
industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with
agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; the state of rivers and estuaries; and where necessary they will also initiate beach clean-ups.

It is a well-intentioned odyssey that, at worst, is certain to be an incredible test of endurance but will also, quite possibly, double as the
surf-trip-of-a-lifetime.

“What excites me the most is being able to combine the high-risk elements of surfing and sailing and the notion of endurance and pushing your body,” said Rastovich.  “I’m eager to bring those elements together with environmental awareness initiatives.


“Our intentions are that, after 36 days and 700 kilometers, we’ll have
helped educate a lot of people on the beauty and majesty of the whales,
plus the impact we all have on what is such an amazing stretch of
coastline and in what ways we might all implement positive change.”


An additional kayak will be made available to a small roster of like-minded invited guests - individuals who share the mission’s sense of
purpose and who are able to help bolster public awareness.

Participants already scheduled to take part include eight-time Molokai-to-Oahu paddling champion Jamie Mitchell, former world #5, pro surfer Matt Hoy, and professional surf commentator, editor and musician
Adam ‘Vaughan’ Blakey.

“Our intentions are to reach Bondi and celebrate the completion of our
voyage with Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society,” said Rastovich.

“We expect to be crossing paths with the Sea Shepherd crew on the journey as they take their ship, the Steve Irwin, to Perth where they will launch their next campaign to save our whales in Antarctica. The same whales we will be paddling beside.”

The official Transparentsea launch will take place on Thursday, October
1st at Main Beach, Byron Bay. Here, members of the Aboriginal Bundjalung tribe will don traditional dress and perform a farewell ceremony. Following the ceremony, the kayakers will paddle out to meet the whales and begin their long voyage south to Sydney.

The iconic sights of Byron Bay’s lighthouse and lush surrounds of Cape
Bryon will provide the ideal backdrop for media on hand to capture the
start of this epic adventure. More information will be distributed closer
to the launch date.

For media or special guests interested in participating in one or more
legs of the journey, please contact jj@premiummedia.com.au

A website will be set-up outlining the mission, including information on
equipment, intended routes, photos and video for media, and a daily blog.

More details to follow.

“Transparentsea” a Modern Voyage with Ancient Creatures, is being made possible with the support of Billabong, Coastal Watch, Surfing World Magazine, the Surfrider Foundation and Surfers for Cetaceans.

Miles away in distance and time from a surf festival in Portugal,the IWC meeting in Madeira, Sperm whales in the Azores and Justin and i washed up in London, here am still heading back downunder through elephant jungle in Chiang Mai, a whale shrine in Vietnam and into the concrete maze of Bangkok.

A kiwi ocean surveyor Tim and his lovely Thai wife Nika introduced me to a wonderful Aussie nun, one Sister Joan Evans who for nearly last twenty years has been living and working among the slum dwellers of the Khlong Toei area of the city. Clearly revered by the inhabitants of the back alleys she lead me through, Sister Joan always had a moment and a kind word to share with them. She introduced me to dedicated women teaching their scrubbed up laughing little kids in two small schools nestled in amongst the debris and chaos and they all liked the idea of me painting a whale mural onto a wall for them. So once i had secured some acrylic paint and a roller and brushes i set to scrubbing the wall of the canteen and laying in the the sky and ocean underpainting  based on the mural Chris and did in a school in Madeira. By the end of the day i had the overall composition in place and the kids came out after their afternoon sleep to line up in front of the whales and sang a song for me. Pure magic.

Up the road a bit past the sad irony of enslaved birds in ornate cane cages a bunch of guys hailed me to join them in jamming on a beat up guitar. On my return the next day i was greeted in the battered street as i went to the school between vertical ghettoes og grilled up buildings with snakeskins of cracks all over them. One sizable tremor and the little school would be buried under them.

After completing the Humpback mother and her calf and the two dolphins I added a turtle, some remoras and a flock of gulls. Out came the little kids again and in the shade of the lone tree growing up through the concrete playground i painted their hands so they could add their own personal signature to the mural.  We laughed together and they thanked me in that gracious Thai manner of prayer.

I said goodbye, happy to know some ocean spirit was now manifest on a school wall near a branch of the mighty Chao Praya river that sweeps out in the sea...and wandered around to Sister Joan's humble brown wooden shack, and painted her front door sky blue.

Another lap around the sun. Another International Whaling Commission filled with  political double talk and lame promises.  Thousands of whales and dolphins still targeted and killed,  thousands more snared in industrial fishing methods, thousands more driven to shore desperately escaping acoustic pollution whilst filled with poisons and  parasites flowing from man.   Is this how we treat fellow earthlings that we supposedly love, that millions of people pay hard earned money for to watch perform mundane tricks in captivity, and also pretend that swimming with them in concrete prison pools will cure themselves of  disease and disability?    I have heard it said, ''..if we can't save the whales from our collective stupidity what chance does the rest of the animal kingdom have?"     Sadly, I think there is real truth in that statement.
    
I am in my twenties, a surfer that has traveled the world for thirteen years straight.  I am part of a global community that spends every spare moment in the water, and for some weird reason the whale and dolphin kill issue was never told to me as I grew up surfing around the world.  No one shared the gruesome facts about whaling, and the terrifying reality that so many  ocean species are fast becoming extinct.   No one told me the commercial fishing industry will end within thirty five to forty years if we don't stop using current methods.

I guess that is why I am writing this right now.  I am pissed off.   I am not an angry person, but when I think about how ignorant I was before taking an interest in this stuff I feel like a spoilt little brat who circled the world but never really had my eyes and ears open.  I don't want to perpetuate that kind of thing. 

So here it is..   What I am trying to do is use the little bit of power I have in this tripped out human sphere to try and pass on that which has come my way,  to act as a conduit for the information I am exposed to.  To communicate the realities of animal cruelty and killing that I have personally witnessed.  To whole heartedly avoid passing on environmental blindness to the next generation of surfers below me.  I am not saying there was never any surfers active in environmental issues before now, there have been plenty, but they were not in the professional surfing arena which is where all of our surfing worlds attention is usually focused.

With so much gratitude I have been able to attract other ocean minded surfers who feel the same and are willing to walk their talk.  Our S4C crew of Howie Cooke, Justin Krumb, Chris Del Moro, Andy Sibley, Hilton Dawe and Jonny Vasic is a unit of friends that wouldn't differ much from most small little clicks and crews you find at every beach around the world.  We like to surf, have a good fun rocking party, talk story about our adventures, spend time with family,  and also do a little work that gives back to that big watery goddess out there that sends waves our way.  I feel like our crew is amazing, but not unique.  We are not special and different, really we are just active wombats.

We have dreamed up a formula for bringing ocean and cetacean issues to the surfing worlds attention and now we are seeing  that formula unfold with a ''great success'' as Borat would say.

Our Baleia Atlantica tour through Portugal and her offshore islands felt like a perfect expression of our crews desire to share information, inspire action and to unite our surfing world with the collective vision of calm, clear oceans filled with all the animals and elements that are integral to life on Earth.

We had fun.  A lot of fun.  We spent time with locals in Madeira and the Azores who are ready to step up and defend their waters, animals and coastlines.  Who feel that being custodians of our oceans is just a natural part of being a surfer.  And that is the biggest success of our trip.

The IWC is a defunct piece of crap that produces no results, so we spent more time with the locals than at the meeting.  There are grommets in those areas who are looking up at their older surfing buddies that rule their local spot and seeing them all pumped and actively involved with conservation.  They see that this is another part of being a water person, that because you receive the ultimate gift of surfing you should also give something back to that.   That is exciting, that is progression.

Each time we embark upon one of the S4C trips we solidify the global surfing family, and know with upmost confidence that if any of us are in trouble or need people to come and blockade a whaling ship, chain ourselves to diggers poised to destroy coastlines, paddle between a whale and a harpoon,  expose environmental criminals,  hold a massive rally to raise awareness,  to paint a fricken huge mural, to speak at schools and to have fun doing it all,  we will be there as quick as humanely possible.   That is an awesome feeling, to know that we can oppose the mighty forces of governments, fishing industries, and corporate criminals by ringing the bell and activating our surfing family.

On that note, I humbly thank all those who made our  trip possible-    the entire S4C crew and our supporters, the surfing industry,  Belmiro and Marta,  Pedro, Rodrigo, Rodolpho, Blacky, Coco, Ester, Dave, Ocean Emotion Whale Watch crew, The Mohle venue, Poncha, all the Visual Petition participants, The Cove team, Charles, Sea Shepherd crew, Mick,  all the surfing communities in the islands and especially the majestic islands themselves.  

Infinite thanks,


serving our sea,

            dave rastovich

An integral part of the Baleia Atlantica tour has been maintaining a visual art presence with the Whale Tipi, banners, murals and furthermore Chris and I holding an exhibition of woodblock prints in Baleal and Madeira. It has been a privilege to be given public walls to run rollers of paint over, with whales gradually emerging out the blue carrying the message in Portuguese of NO KILLING NO CAPTURE and HAVE A HEART!

Chris and I had so much fun painting a mural of dolphins and a whale in the playground of a primary school in the hills above the harbour of Madeira and watching the kids add their handprints to the baby humpback banner already bearing handprints of Byron Bay children.
 
It turned out that the final mural before the last four of us left Portugal would be inside the stone cottage of ‘Blacky’ on Sao Jorge in the Azores. Inspired by our seeing Sperm whales and dolphins on our way there, I painted them beneath circling seabirds off towering cliffs of the island, a giant red squid rising up from the depths.
 
It is nice to know that we leave behind some art that not only reflects our appreciation of having engaged with local people but also carries forward our message of greater respect for the Ocean and our hope for total freedom for all whales and dolphins.
 
Although our tour came to an end as we landed in England, the second night in London I had the opportunity to participate in an open mike night at the lovely Inspiral vego restaurant alongside Camden lock, and to spread the word and play some of my songs about whales to a warm crew of travelers, local artists and poets.
        
Justin and I have wandered along the canal towpaths past white swans and narrow boats deep in reflection on what S4C has achieved so far and what we can achieve into the future. Justin the big bear flies out tonight with his movie camera to more waves and I’m going off to look at a big wall in Kings Cross, blue chalk in my pocket.

Drop off and pickup- The S4C “Balea Atlantica” crew changed up a bit in the last few days. Chris Del Moro, Andy Sibley and Jon Laurenson had to split due to other commitments in their respective homelands. We’ll miss them as the energy has changed a bit with their parting. With that said, we picked up a lovely Portuguese lady by the name of Ester (AKA “wild dolphin girl”) as we prepared to take a boat trip to the island of Sao George. Funny how just the right sort of people seem to enter our little world as we journey along with the whales and dolphins. Sorry boys but having a woman along has been a welcome change from the S4C boys club on this trip.

Sao George is THE place for waves in this amazing island chain in the middle of the Atlantic and with word that a swell was on the horizon we were fired up to get into it. Boarding the “Ocean Emotion” for the 3-hour ride to the island was like being a kid in a candy store. As the ocean rocked us to sleep (This trip has reminded me that I can sleep anywhere, even on the rock hard deck of a boat!) visions of perfect waves put me into dreamland. Blink, the motor has stopped and I hear excited voices on the bridge. We scramble up to find a pod of dolphins at play off our starboard side. Hello boys 'n girls, once again we are greeted by the very crew we are here to protect. Big bottlenose dolphins are all around us shadowed by towering cliffs and waterfalls crashing into the sea. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about them now, but I can’t help but think there is a little message in their appearance for us.

Our arrival to the island is met by one of the few cabs available here and by chance Rodrigo (our Azores guide) runs into his girlfriends father who offers to transport our gear to the other side of the island. After a thirty-minute ride over stunning mountain scenery, we arrive at the end of the road. It will be an hour walk from here to our destination (which will remain nameless to protect the innocent). The natural beauty stuns me and the endless wave set-ups are promising too. The village has been left back in time by a hundred years or so and every turn reveals a picture perfect postcard view. Hilton is snapping photos like they are going out of style and Howie has disappeared into a painters water color bliss…

We meet up with our new host “Blackie” and settle into his house for our stay. As is the case on most surf trips, the surf isn’t cooperating. Small but fun, it still refreshes the crew and brings smiles all around. The next day brings some rain and small waves and Rasta has gone cosmic again…

The mountains tower over our little home and leave us all in awe of the power of this place. Howie is inspired and paints an amazing mural of the sun, sperm whales and sea creatures on Blackie’s wall. His house comes alive. A three-mile hike up the hill reveals amazing waterfalls, crazy flowers and a bond amongst friends we will never forget. My only concern is we will never get Rasta to leave. The look in his eyes says, “See ya boys I’m going feral here, so sell my boards, the house and the kids too!”  Wait.. he doesn’t have kids, so scratch that!

Luckily, we drag his ass out so as not to loose our fearless leader but we’ve all left a piece of us here. Thanks Blackie for the amazing stay, we will return again…

A collective goal of the Baleia Atlantica was to experience Sperm whales firsthand. After a bit of help from our local friend Rodrigo, we had an appointment for a 7am whale watch tour in the cetacean rich waters off Terceira. Once at sea we were blessed to have traveled alongside a pod of 6 adult Sperm Whales and one calf working their way south with the oceans current.

For many of us it was the first time witnessing these species and the calf gifted our group with three playful breaches. Our time at sea was a blessing in so many ways and spending time with these breath-taking animals only strengthened our passion to protect their waters ahead.

After speaking in depth with the owners of the operation it was apparent that this zone is feeling the positive effects of booming sustainable whaling business. Many of the port towns we have visited along our tour were once plagued with whaling ships and the transformation to whale loving communities must continue to evolve through all of the renegade nations barbaric whaling practices!

Our whale encounter sent our group straight through to the cosmos of a new swell hitting the North shore of the island. We hustled to meet the oncoming swell and were pleasantly surprised to see the ocean had roared to life. With a hand drawn map gifted to us by locals we navigated our way straight into a rugged valley with a wedgey slab reef. After cautiously making our way through the dangerous moss covered rocks, we feasted on the first satisfying waves of our Azores island mission.

We traded lefts and rights for hours under the watchful eye of Howie creating yet another masterpiece on a boulder over looking the surf spot. The Azores gifted us with gold today and as usual our crew is reveling into a cozy night of good food, conversation and laughter.

LoNG LiVE WhaLE & WAve..

Since our arrival on Terceira Island we’ve utilized our down time to reconnect with media blasts, art projects, blog entry’s, photo editing and some much needed rest.

With that said a good majority of us were in desperate need of some wave riding in these new European style archipelagos.

Down times great, but there’s only so long a group of surfers can go before joining our cetacean friends for a slide along a few waves. As we searched for waves our group was widely impressed by an unfathomable amount of dry stack volcanic rock walls creating a puzzle of paddocks criss-crossing green hills as far as our eyes could see. After checking every nook and cranny on the Eastern side of the island, we found a fun right hand wedge located at the mouth of a scenic port town brimming with brightly colored structures. It was great to connect with the local waters and helped us all to an early nights sleep.

Later that evening our group had a casual meeting with a wide-eyed journalist for the local newspaper. As usual Dave and Howie educated her with the cons of the Whale trade and our groups intentions to experience the country’s bustling whale watching industry.

After a fun but hectic week in Madeira and a mammoth all-nighter wrap party at Fort Molhe, we managed to find ourselves landing in the Azores on only the briefest of sleep and a full day of adventure ahead of us. 

Everyone was feeling pretty spacey, but we only had 10hrs in San Miguel before our next flight to Terceira. There were no waves to be seen so we decided to take a shot of cement, grab a hire car and head off into the countryside for the day.

We were rewarded with lush green countryside, warm balmy weather and spectacular fresh water volcanic lakes.  At this level of exhaustion, some of the conversations were going pretty sideways and it wasn't long before we were cracking up laughing at the slightest thing.

Just when we thought the day couldn't get any better, we found what we'd been looking for: the hot springs of Fumas. Like some sort of enchanted elfin bath house, fresh water ran down from the surrounding hills to mingle with steaming hot mineral waters from deep underground, forming perfect little wading ponds that the locals had re-enforced with stone & concrete walls... magic!

Shortly after, we rocked up to a riverside botanical garden where we got to chill for a few hours before driving back again. It was exactly what we had needed to boost our energy levels before sleep deprivation loopiness began to set in again.

One of the surfers on Madeira that we had befriended, Valter, had set us up with some fellow surfers in Terceira and we were soon set up in a lush little beachside cottage to call home for the next few days.

We had arrived to find the swell was super small, so settled down and took time to recharge our senses and get some long overdue rest.

Friday was the last day for us in Madeira and we realised how little time we had spent down in the vacuous vortex that is the IWC meetings, choosing to focus our energies on being pro-active amongst the Madieran community.  Our next project was another amazing cetacean mural by Chris Del Moro and Howie Cooke at a local pre-school.

The terrain in Madeira is extremely steep so most of the hillsides have terraced gardens growing fruit and vegetables.  This little school has a food garden that was almost as big as the school it produces for and the kids who maintain it were all napping when the S4C artists arrived.   An hour or so later when the kids woke from their siesta they came outside to see a 10m mural of a humpback whale and two dolphins looking back at them.  Howie also has a beautiful humpback whale mural that began in Byron Bay which has hand prints upon her belly from Australian and Portugese children.  With their palms painted, the kids laid hands on the whale and added their own touch to the whale conservation movement.

The rest of the day was spent running around getting ready for our evening gathering at the wrap up party in the seaside venue Mohle.  The former fortress was converted into a restaurant and club at the front of the harbor side town Funchal. 

The event was a great success, with many locals and people that were here for the IWC attending. The entertainment included a screening of our short film Minds In The Water, a live art show by Howie and Chris, visual petition additions and a celebration of our crew and the local surf community connecting on ocean conservation issues, as well as great music from local djs and our surfing brother Pedro Ramos.  We danced the night away, and were all in gratitude of how supportive everyone in Madeira had been for us. Beautiful island, beautiful people...

Before we knew it, we realised our flight was leaving in a couple of hours and we went to task on packing down our things as the party continued around us. We scurried home, packed our stuff and then made it through the boarding gates with seconds to spare.. Thank you Madeira......Azores here we come!

Our S4C team just got a couple of amazing opportunities  surrounding the IWC.  Our local surfing hook ups Belmiro Mendes and his girlfriend Martha organised a slot for us on the prime time morning radio show that Martha co hosts.  Chris Del Moro, (in house name ‘’Morato’’) and I sat with Martha and her co host Pedro discussed on-air our experiences within the whaling issue, what was happening within the IWC and what we have encountered since arriving in Madeira a few days ago.

The local government in Madeira is quite conservative, the same governing people have been in power for thirty years!!  Previously, surfers have had a rough deal as the bureaucrats signed off on destroying some of the premiere waves on the island all for a few people to have a nice place to sit and view the ocean or go for a coastal walk.  The surfers admit that they perhaps used too much of an aggressive approach to opposing the authorities and that it may have caused the feds to turn around and not listen to any of the surfers requests or opinions.

On the radio show we spoke of how the surfing world is actively involved in habitat and species preservation and that defending these resources has so many beneficial  repercussions that support  the financial, social and spiritual wealth of the locals.  The local surfers here are a passionate core crew that are proud of their island and are not afraid to do what is right for future generations of surfers and the animals and eco systems that surround them.  In my own experience of traveling immersed within surfing communities it is really exciting to feel the passion a lot of young surfers have in the direction of conservation.

After our talk, we gave everyone the heads up about an S4C film, art and music event we were putting on Friday  night at the end of the IWC.  We made our way to the harbor to go and take part in the local whale and dolphin watch expeditions that replaced whaling in Madeira.

Getting on the whale/dolphin watch boat our crew was frothing to get out to sea and away from town for a while.  Although we were all having a lot of fun and feel strongly about our work we can get a bit eggy if we don’t get in the water for a surf or at least a swim every day or so.  Typical surfers in that sense.   As we got a kilometer or so out a big pod of spotted dolphins appeared, everyone starting hooting and whistling as you would for perfect surf.  The pod directed themselves towards us and came for a look.  Under the boat, off the bow and all around us we all got a chance to look into their eyes and remember why we do the work we do for cetaceans.  Their gentle, curious gaze softly fixed on you always brings out a joyful and respectful surge of emotion.  Millions of years of living harmoniously in their watery environment would surely denote vast intelligence, maybe we are just starting to catch up by mimicking their love of surfing..

Some crew got in the water and heard their sonar clicks and squeeks whilst tripping on the clear blue Atlantic waters.  Inspired by contact we returned to shore enlivened and keen to continue our campaign in Madeira, alerting others to the plight of the whales an documenting the painfully political prostration of the  61st International Whaling Commission.

This morning, we were fortunate enough to be able to hook a meeting up with a representative of the local National Parks and Wildlife service, Rosa Pire at the Madeira Botanical Gardens. Rosa and Dave talked at great lengths about the effects fishing was having on the local marine ecosystem, the importance of sanctuaries for the successful increase in population of the endangered Monk Seal (Lobo marinho) and the history of whaling on the island and the positive affects whale and dolphin watching based tourism is now having for the local community.

We then decided to go down to where the IWC was being held and unexpectedly walked straight into a Sea Shepherd campaign launch press conference, held in the lobby of the Pestana Casino Park Hotel.  We were warmly greeted by Captain Paul Watson, who took time out mid-speech to mention us and invite us on stage to display our visual petition banners and talk about who we are and why we are here.

That evening, a few of us went to a private screening of 'The Cove' presented by OPS Assistant Director, Charles Hambleton.  Charles is a super cool cat that has led an extraordinary life, and instantly made us feel at home to be one of the first people to view this amazing film length documentary.  We had been looking forward to seeing The Cove, as many of us had played a part in campaigning against what has been going on in Taiji.

Despite having spent years exposed to the truth of dolphin killing and the whaling industry, we were all completely shell-shocked by the end of the film, some even reduced to tears.  This award-winning documentary delivers the powerful story of Rick O'Barry and his quest to shut down the 'killing cove' in Taiji, Japan where over 23, 000 dolphins and pilot whales are captured and sold to private aquariums or brutally tortured and killed, their carcasses sold as toxic mercury-riddled whale meat on the asian market.

'The Cove' masterfully shows the grim reality of what is still happening in Taiji to this day and simply must be watched if we are to have any chance of stopping it.

Surfers For Cetaceans is in Madeira off the coast of Portugal covering the 61st International Whaling Commission, surfing with locals, and spreading the good will message of defending marine mammals and the waters we share with them. We are also documenting the success of local whalers turning their bloody trade in for the more sustainable and lucrative whale watching industry.

Two Days in Madeira Islands, S4C have been involved in a multitude of events around the island since we arrived. Madeira is a surfing hotspot for European surfers and although we are here for the commission our first mission was to get in the water and wash off thirty something hours of flying from Australia. Three foot peelers below vertical cliffs, and cannon ball rocks falling from above ramped up the small surf into an intense experience. Core members of the local surfing community are guiding our trip here and are stoked to be hanging with our group surfing, painting murals, protesting whaling and enjoying the challenge and excitement of surf travel with a selfless purpose.

Today a couple of us visited the local marine parks and wildlife authorities to learn about Madeiras environmental status and some of the laws in place to protect it’s rich biodiversity. ‘’ through local community support of marine sanctuary zones we have seen marine animal populations increase and even overcome their fear of human interaction. Monk seal populations are recovering from the negative impact of commercial fishing and are now being spotted all over Madeira for the first time in many years. I am convinced that if people have a healthy respect for nature we can all restore balance and harmony to eco systems that have suffered by mans destructive activities’’, said Rosa Pires from the Parks and Wildlife. She has just started surfing and reminded me of similar success stories from California, Australia and New Zealand where sanctuary and ‘no kill’ zones have returned a balance to eco systems and inspired locals to respect and preserve their natural resources.

Whilst we were hearing from Rosa some of the S4C team were at the IWC meeting with our mates from Sea Shepherd who usually scare the s#*t out of Japanese delegates at the meeting by just peacefully hanging aroundand are usually tailed by police and armed guards everywhere they go. Captain Paul alerted the media to Sea Shepherds plan of going down to the southern ocean again this coming whaling season under the campaign name Operation Waltzing Matilda.

Attending the commission today we got word that the very sensitive issue of Greenland killing ten endangered humpback whales would be on the agenda within the next twenty four hours and that Australia would outrageously support Greenlands desire for that kill. Australia is a nation that protects and adores their humpback population that has slowly recovered from being almost wiped out by whaling. We are hoping that this rumour isn’t true and that Peter Garrett will act on behalf of the Australian people and not support the killing of endangered humpback whales anywhere in the world. Hopefully the rumour has as little substance as most of the political rhetoric that is spoken at the IWC and the killing of endangered whales will not be allowed in any of the oceans.
 
Keep your eyes on the horizon and an ear to the wind for our next update from this crazy beautiful surf zone and infuriating meeting….

As the 61st meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) got under way today, Australia finds itself under attack from its apparent ally because of its pursuit to end scientific whaling

The conservation group Whales Alive has found out that Australia has been pressured by the US government to change its policy on scientific whaling.

Australia is attempting to break the deadlock at this IWC meeting and stop Japan from using an outdated loophole to conduct. The pressure from the US is coming because of their drive for a compromise

Australia is part of an effort to try to negotiate a package of reforms that would resolve long-standing and intractable differences over whaling. A 28-nation Small Working Group, of which Australia is an active member, was established to consider possibilities. (It met in September, December and in March 2009.)

As part of Australia's efforts to reform the IWC, Australia has brought forward a proposal to bring scientific whaling under the control of the commission. Currently any country can self allocate a quota for killing whales for science.

Over 23 years Japan has successfully exploited a loophole that allows whaling for scientific research. Using explosive harpoons and high calibre rifles that inflict a cruel and prolonged death Japan continues whaling in the Southern Ocean, ignoring the International Whaling Commission


Mick McIntyre is the Director of the conservation organization, Whales Alive

This will be his 15th meeting of the International Whaling Commission. (Five served on the Australian Government delegation)

www.whalesalive.org.au
For interviews with or comment from Mick McIntyre please contact Michael Young 0432 169 147,

Michael.young@optusnet.com.au
or Mick McIntyre direct,

+351 922 186 910

Sleep deprived and hungry, we wobbled into Madeira with no idea what to expect.  The place looked serene yet surreal. Postcard perfect with dramatic cliffs flowing all the way down to warm Atlantic waters, cool ocean winds, modest dwellings of obvious Portuguese influence and super clean streets reminding us that although Madeira is situated off the coast of Africa, we were definitely still in a European country.

The first thing to blow us away is the incredible engineering skills undertaken to position so many houses onto the side of hills of near vertical ascent. On top of that, every available space was utilized to grow things...  cabbage patches, corn fields, horses, green houses and farming machinery was dotted throughout the country side, even through the main city, Funchal.

Our man on the ground, Belmiro, gains instant legendary status by completely sorting us out with pimpin' accommodation, hire car, food and most importantly...we're in the water surfing within a few short hours of landing.  The wave is a tricky reefbreak that twists and weaves upon itself towards a rocky shore.  Chris and Belmiro are all over it, finding sneaky cover ups and digging their rails deep while the rest of us struggle to make it to our feet.

Dave, Hilton and John are still another day away and the super friendly locals inform us that the swell will disappear pretty soon. Jonny Vasic, the newest of our crew and ex-international director of Sea Shepherd hits the ground running.  Hires a car and drives straight to the break to meet us. Howie, Chris, Justin and myself are slowly starting to feel the fade after a hectic 24hrs and spend the rest of the day shooting ideas for what we're going to do in the upcoming week.

By the morning, we're feeling great and are woken up by the frantic sounds of Belmiro bouncing around trying to drag us back to the waves.. 'C'monnnnn maannnnnn, the waaaaves......they're goooiiinnngggggg...!!' He's frothing and pretty soon, we're in the water, tearing around on fun little waves and meeting more surfers in the water and along the beach.  The surf crew in Madeira turn out to be unbelievably helpful and pretty soon, we've hooked up free boat trips to see the whales, meeting the director of National Parks for the area and connections for the next leg of our journey in the Azores. 

Even more astounding, Belmiro's girlfriend, Marta, has the biggest (possibly only?) radio breakfast show on the island and is amped to help the cause, letting locals know what the IWC is really about and help promote S4C.

Howie spent the day down at the IWC conference, being bounced by security, police, plain clothes and general grunt all around the venue but still managed to connect with fellow NGO reps. By nightfall, we're fully buzzing with ideas and plans.. and with the arrival of Rasta and crew, we celebrate and begin to nut out our plan of attack.

During the past two years of negotiations with Japan to achieve the Hogarth Deal, Japan has repeatedly demonstrated its contempt for the process and for the majority of the IWC countries by:

     -  Pursuing its so-called "Scientific" whaling scheme full-bore in the Antarctic.
    - Accepting 77 tons of whale meat imported from Iceland and Norway
    - Continuing so-called "scientific" whaling in the North Pacific, which includes killing coastal whales.
    - Continuing to kill over 20,000 coastal dolphins and small cetaceans in the cruelest manner imaginable.
   - Refusing to label or remove toxic dolphin and whale meat from their markets, effectively poisoning their markets, effectively poisoning their own people without a health warning.

Eco observes that this cannot be construed as "negotiating in good faith".

We began the first wave of our northern cetacean campaign, Baleia Atlântica (Atlantic Whale) in the small coastal town of Baleal, Portugal.

Baleal is situated just over an hours drive from Portugal's capital, Lisbon.  It's an area that has experienced rapid tourism growth over the last few years and much of this growth is due to it's idealic climate, pristine beaches and a whole range of surfing breaks in close proximity.

We were invited to the area by our good friend and fellow surfer, Francisco Gonçalves, who we had met the previous year at IWC60 in Santiago, Chile.  Francisco works as a campaigner/consultant for IFAW and would be going onto this year's IWC with us.  Despite busily preparing for this event, he had also organised an Eco-Surf Festival to coincide with our arrival.

The three day festival was held in beautiful sunny conditions, with great waves and hundreds of surfers, locals and tourists from all over the world.  The festival had a strong emphasis on marine and coastal environmental awareness as many of the local surfers wished to draw attention to the increasing amount of pollution that was being washed up along the shores from tourism and poor waste management practices with tourism explosion. The festival was a great success and some of the activities included beach clean-ups, paddle contests, live bands and an art exhibition.  

S4C's co-founder, Howie Cooke was quick to make friends with the local crew and within a day of arriving, painted a 20m whale mural on the side of a beach house, close to the festival. Chris Del Moro, S4C USA, took part in the first ever Portuguese paddle contest which involved a gruelling 2.5km long board paddle around a headland, into open water and back into the main bay.  Much to the frustration of the local contestants, Chris won his heat and went on to win the whole event.

After three incredible days of sun, sand and pumping waves, we celebrated the end of the festival with a big feast at a local beachhouse and the screening of Justin Krumb's Minds in the Water TV release.  In true Portuguese style, everyone chatted, drank and danced long into the night while we quietly slipped away to get a few short hours sleep before we set off to begin the next leg of our journey to the subtropical island of Madeira.

Side Note: We'd like to thank the crew at the SurfCastle in Baleal who not only had the coolest guest house but were super generous, friendly and funny.

Next week’s International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Madeira in Portugal will see Australian Federal Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett struggling to fulfil an election promise made by the Rudd government to stop whaling, while at home thousands of his fellow Australians will be watching these majestic creatures as the annual migration north to warmer waters gets under way

Minister Garrett has indicated this week that the Australian government will be taking a diplomatic stance at next weeks meeting

Meanwhile Japan has also indicated that it plans to expand its so called scientific whaling as the IWC attempts to find a consensus among delegates that will stop the barbaric killing of industry.

85 nations will attend the IWC meeting among an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust.

Using explosive harpoons and high calibre rifles that inflict a cruel and prolonged death Japan continues whaling in the Southern Ocean, ignoring the IWC moratorium of 1982 which bans commercial whaling. Over several years Japan has successfully exploited a loophole that allows whaling for scientific research.

Mick McIntyre, Director of Whales Alive, the non-profit group dedicated to the protection of whales said today,

"The Japanese whaling program under the banner of scientific research is an absolute sham and a disgrace; it is in fact commercial whaling in disguise. While the world sits back and does nothing thousands of whales - minke (many of which are pregnant) Fin whales and potentially Humpbacks fall victim to Japan’s insatiable appetite for whale meat."

Japan has indicated that it will set a quota of more than 1,000 minke and whales to be killed in the name of scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean this coming year.

"Whales Alive calls on the Federal government to deliver on its election promise to stop Japan’s barbaric whaling industry," Mr McIntyre said.

"The question to Minster Garrett is what part of next weeks diplomatic efforts will stop Japan's scientific whaling. ? It is clear that Diplomacy is not going to stop whaling."

Mick McIntyre will be attending the IWC meeting in Madeira and will file a daily behind the scenes no-nonsense report on each day’s event. He will also be available for instant comment 24/7

Mick McIntyre is the Director of the conservation organization, Whales Alive

. This will be his 15th meeting of the International Whaling Commission. (Five served on the Australian Government delegation)
www.whalesalive.org.au
For interviews with or comment from Mick McIntyre please contact Michael Young 0432 169 147,

Michael.young@optusnet.com.au
or Mick McIntyre direct,

+351 922 186 910

Surfers For Cetaceans' core members Howie Cooke, Justin Krumb, Andy Sibley, Jonny Vasic, Chris Del Moro and myself are attending the 61st International Whaling Commission in Madeira Island.  A European surfing hot spot, Madeira will host government representatives, international conservation groups and the whalers themselves all within a stones throw from some of the most beautiful surfing locations on Earth.

Once again S4C will report back to our home countries and global surfing community with details of the meeting,  whilst also letting the whalers feel our strong opposition to their crime of whaling through our protests, press statements and daily expressions of stink eye directed their way.

Having attended previous IWC's we know this meeting is a perfect example  of beaurecratic double talk and empty promises.  Whilst this can be quite frustrating it  also serves as a great motivator for our team.
  
Thanks to the amazing generosity of the surfing community and industry, S4C has enough support to attend this meeting and then also venture further into the issue of whaling and carry on our efforts directly after the IWC.  Our team is traveling out to the Azores Islands to document the success story of whalers turn whale watchers who made the decision to switch trades before all the whales were killed. The locals are enjoying a booming tourism trade that is positively affecting the whole community in the islands.  

We'll be surfing, painting murals, meeting with school children, community elders, ex whalers, conservationists and local surfers with the intention of documenting the story of the successful evolution of the whaling industry which had the vision to end their bloody trade and start fresh with sustainable and peaceful whale watch businesses.

Our journey won't end there, we have plans to continue our European campaign into other areas of Europe that are connected to the tragedy and crime of whaling.....  stay tuned to our daily blogs and diaries as we work to protect our ocean kin.

On the 19th and 20th June in the town of Baleal will be held the BALEAL SURF FEST; with various activities related to the surf including the conservation of cetaceans and the environment.

Music concerts, Surfing activities, shows and creation of art, and various other events will be the motto to send a clear message to all Commissioners of 85 countries in the IWC. The moratorium of 1986 is more important today than ever and we have to rethink our relationship with the environment and leave aside the anthropocentrism that defines that all resources on earth are for our use, exploitation, and pleasure and adopt a more eco-bio-centrist if we continue on this planet.