A host of high profile names including Dr. Jane Goodall, Dame Judi Dench, and Chris Packham have banded together to help protect marine life. At a virtual press conference held today, the member countries of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) were urged to back a new 50-year project that is out to save whales, dolphins, and porpoises from extinction.
The conference was called to honor the IWC’s 75-year anniversary and to launch the new long-term initiative, referred to as a “50-year vision.” The IWC’s 88 members – including Australia, Brazil, China, India, Norway, the UK, the US – are being urged to adopt and promote the new guidelines.
Marine life faces extinction
For billions of marine animals around the world, a myriad of (mostly anthropogenic) threats are raising the risk of extinction.
Fisheries’ bycatch, marine debris, habitat loss, and ship strikes are impacting population numbers, as well as chemical, plastic, and noise pollution. Further, commercial hunting still takes a heavy toll in some regions, and the accelerating climate crisis strains ecosystems further.
The newly proposed 50-year vision calls for a continued ban on commercial whaling and the regulation of Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling (ASW).
“It is vital that the IWC maintain a clear distinction between ASW and commercial and special permit whaling, to ensure the integrity of the moratorium and meet the genuine nutritional, cultural and subsistence needs of Indigenous peoples,” a press release reads.
The five-decade-strong project also calls for the implementation of designated marine protected areas, and the monitoring of the whale watching industry.
Ultimately, the vision centers cetaceans as a “public good,” and recognizes their valuable ecological contributions. This includes the wildlife’s ability to improve ocean health, and therefore grow fish populations, promote biodiversity, and sequester carbon.
‘We must not fail them’
In a video shown during today’s conference, Goodall commented: “Some 80 percent of the world’s oxygen comes from the ocean. Our seas, along with our forests, are literally the lungs of our planet.
“Tragically, the vast marine habitat is increasingly threatened by our human actions. We are polluting it with toxic substances, large areas become acidified, the water is warming, commercial fishing has endangered many species, and its biggest and so loved residents – whales, dolphins and porpoises – are suffering.”
The 87-year-old primatologist continued, “Unbelievably, despite a 40 year ban, many still suffer the cruelty of commercial whaling. Then around 300,000 cetaceans die when they’re accidentally captured in fishing gear. They drown. A number of species and some populations are now facing extinction.”
She added that we “must not fail” these animals, and urged governments to prioritize them.
Vegan presenter and environmentalist Packham shared similar messages about the cetaceans. “They are extraordinarily beautiful, fascinating, and they have amazing life cycles and life histories … and of course they are highly intelligent too,” he said.
Dench and vegan musician Leona Lewis lent their voices to the cause too, along with British sailor Tracy Edwards and a wealth of NGOs.
Sue Fisher, marine wildlife consultant to the Animal Welfare Institute, said in a statement: “In the 1980s the world called on the IWC to “save the whale” and it met the challenge, banning all commercial whaling globally. Today, we need the IWC and its member governments to show leadership again – this time to save all cetaceans from the devastation we are wreaking on their environment.”
Fisher added, “We believe, guided by our 50-Year Vision, the IWC is up to the task.”
Wanafunzi wengi wa chuo kikuu, kama vile Jane Goodall, Dame Judi Dench na Chris Packham, wamejiunga na shirika la WHO ili kusaidia kulinda uhai wa baharini. Katika mkutano wa waandishi wa habari uliofanyika leo, nchi wanachama wa Tume ya Kimataifa ya Whaling (IWC) ziliombwa kuunga mkono mradi mpya wa miaka 50 ambao ni nje ya kuokoa nyangumi, pomboo na porpoises kutoka kutoweka. Mkutano huo ulifanyika kwa heshima ya maadhimisho ya miaka 75 ya IWC na kuanzisha mpango mpya wa muda mrefu, unaojulikana kama maono ya miaka 50, wanachama 88 wa IWC, ikiwa ni pamoja na Australia, Brazil, China, India, Norway, Uingereza, Marekani, na Uingereza, wanahimizwa kupitisha na kukuza miongozo hiyo mpya. Uhai wa baharini unakabiliwa na kutoweka Kwa mabilioni ya wanyama wa baharini ulimwenguni kote, vitisho vingi (kwa ujumla vya binadamu) vinaongeza hatari ya kutoweka. Uvuvi, mabaki ya baharini, upotezaji wa makazi, na mgongano wa meli unaathiri idadi ya watu, pamoja na uchafuzi wa kemikali, plastiki, na kelele. Kwa kuongezea, uwindaji wa kibiashara bado una athari kubwa katika maeneo fulani, na mgogoro wa hali ya hewa unaozidi kuongezeka unazidisha shinikizo kwa mifumo ya ikolojia. Maoni ya miaka 50 yaliyopendekezwa hivi karibuni yanataka marufuku ya biashara ya kuwinda nyangumi na udhibiti wa uwindaji wa nyangumi wa Wenyeji wa Asili (Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling). "Ni muhimu kwamba IWC kudumisha tofauti ya wazi kati ya ASW na biashara na ruhusa maalum ya kuwinda nyangumi, ili kuhakikisha uadilifu wa moratorium na kukidhi mahitaji halisi ya lishe, utamaduni na maisha ya watu wa asili, "toleo la vyombo vya habari linasema. Mradi huo unaoendelea kwa miongo mitano pia unahitaji kuanzishwa kwa maeneo ya baharini yaliyohifadhiwa, na ufuatiliaji wa sekta ya kutazama nyangumi. Hatimaye, maono ya vituo cetaceans kama "faida ya umma", na inatambua michango yao ya thamani ya ikolojia. Hii inajumuisha uwezo wa wanyama wa porini kuboresha afya ya bahari, na kwa hivyo kukuza idadi ya samaki, kukuza utofauti wa kibiolojia, na kuhifadhi kaboni. "Katika video iliyoonyeshwa wakati wa mkutano wa leo, Goodall alitoa maoni: ""Karibu asilimia 80 ya oksijeni ya dunia inatokana na bahari." Bahari zetu, pamoja na misitu yetu, ni mapafu ya sayari yetu. <unk> Kwa kusikitisha, mazingira makubwa ya baharini yanatishwa zaidi na zaidi na matendo yetu ya kibinadamu. "Hii ni kwa sababu tunachafua maji kwa kutumia sumu, maeneo makubwa yanazidi kuwa na asidi, maji yanapopanda joto, uvuvi wa kibiashara umehatarisha spishi nyingi, na wakazi wake wakubwa na wapendwa sana - nyangumi, pomboo na pomboo - wanateseka,"" alisema mwanasayansi huyo mwenye umri wa miaka 87." Zaidi ya wanyama 300,000 wa baharini wanauawa kwa sababu ya kuvuja kwa bahati mbaya katika vyombo vya uvuvi. Wao hufa maji. Spishi kadhaa na baadhi ya idadi ya watu sasa wanakabiliwa na kutoweka. <unk> Aliongeza kwamba <unk>hapaswi kushindwa<unk> wanyama hawa, na kuwahimiza serikali kuwapa kipaumbele. Mtangazaji wa Vegan na mwanaharakati wa mazingira Packham alishiriki ujumbe kama huo kuhusu nyangumi. "Wao ni wazuri sana, wenye kuvutia, na wana mizunguko ya maisha ya kushangaza na historia ya maisha... na bila shaka wao ni akili sana pia", alisema. Dench na mwanamuziki wa vegan Leona Lewis walitoa sauti zao kwa sababu hiyo pia, pamoja na baharia wa Uingereza Tracy Edwards na utajiri wa NGOs. "Sue Fisher, mshauri wa wanyama wa baharini wa Taasisi ya Ustawi wa Wanyama, alisema katika taarifa: ""Katika miaka ya 1980, ulimwengu ulitoa wito kwa IWC ""kuokoa nyangumi"" na ilikabiliana na changamoto hiyo, ikipiga marufuku uvuvi wote wa kibiashara ulimwenguni." "Leo tunahitaji IWC na serikali wanachama wake kuonyesha uongozi tena - wakati huu kuokoa nyangumi wote kutoka kwa uharibifu tunaoanzisha kwenye mazingira yao. ""Tunaamini, kuongozwa na maono yetu ya miaka 50, IWC iko juu ya kazi."