Showing posts with label environmental vandalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environmental vandalism. Show all posts
Sunday 30 September 2018
Adani Group has Morrison, Price, Littleproud & Taylor wrapped around its little finger
Since September 2013 the Australian Liberal-Nationals Coalition Government has been a rolling national disaster.
This latest episode appears to have its roots in the hard right's commitment to dismantle environmental protections.
Especially replacing Labor's "water trigger" amendment to the ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT 1999 with a band-aid which fooled no-one.
ABC
News, 25
September 2018:
A farmer has been denied
access to a river system Adani plans on drawing 12.5 billion litres of water
from in what activists are calling a "double standard", documents
obtained under freedom of information laws show.
The mining giant plans
to take 12.5 billion litres of water from the Suttor River every year, nearly
as much as all local farmers combined.
Despite this amount, the
documents show at least one irrigator had their application for a water licence
rejected in 2011, leading activists to claim farmers were assessed more harshly
than Adani.
The documents also show
the modelling used by the company to predict the impacts of the water usage
ignored the past 14 years of rainfall data and, despite planning to take water
until 2077, it did not take into account the impacts of climate change.
The revelations came a
week after the Federal Government decided to assess the environmental
impacts of Adani's water take without a full environmental impact statement.
"Altogether, this
underscores how poor the decision was last week to allow 12.5 billion litres to
be taken without assessment," Carmel Flint from anti-mining group Lock The
Gate Alliance said. The group obtained the documents under Queensland's Right
To Information laws.....
Monday 24 September 2018
When it comes to protecting Clarence Valley water resources "Castillo's credibility is wearing very thin indeed"
This is a basic map clearly showing a historic cluster of small abandoned mine sites in the vicinity of the Mann River, one of the principal tributaries of the Clarence River which is the largest coastal river in New South Wales.
The old Cangai Mine site is now part of a Castillo Copper Limited exploration lease and its proximity to the Mann River is apparent.
As the crow flies the distance between this site and the Mann River is estimated to be less than 4 kms and Cangi Mine is also bounded on three sides by three creeks which feed into the Mann.
Following North Coast Voices posting Castillo Copper Limited's Jackadgery Project: has spinning the truth already begun? on 17 September 2018 one Clarence Valley resident sent me an email which pointed out a curious ommission in Castillo Copper Limited exploration licence application this mining company:
"However, under Section 19.4
beneath the heading: “Surface water
sources”, is the following requirement:
“Provide details of the
existing surface water sources in the area that are likely to be affected by
the activity. Provide details of the nearest watercourse/s and the distance
between the proposed disturbance area/s and the nearest watercourse/s”.
Castillo's Response
“The proposed activity area bounded by Bobward creek from the west and
Smelter creek from the east. The distance from disturbance area to Bobward
creek is 550 – 620m; the distance to Smelter creek is about 500m. The water for
drilling if required will most likely will be taken from Bobward creek.
Permission has been sought and granted by the landowner”.
No mention of the Mann or Clarence in
the entire document.
Talk about "dodgy". Castillo's
credibility is wearing very thin indeed,"
BACKGROUND
North Coast Voices, 17 September 2018, Castillo Copper Limited's Jackadgery Project: has spinning the truth already begun?
BACKGROUND
North Coast Voices, 17 September 2018, Castillo Copper Limited's Jackadgery Project: has spinning the truth already begun?
Monday 17 September 2018
Castillo Copper Limited's Jackadgery Project: has spinning the truth already begun?
On 15 September 2018 The Daily Examiner reported that:
Concerns about the health of the Mann and Clarence
rivers have been raised by community members following explorations by Castillo Copper at
Cangai, near the historic copper mine….
It’s the high grade of
the finding that has some community members concerned, with the prospect of a
mine opening in the area becoming more likely.
At a meeting attended by
about 20 people, NSW Parliament Greens candidate for the Clarence Greg Clancy
and John Edwards from the Clarence Valley Environment Centre explained their
concerns with mining so close to the river.
After having trouble
getting in contact with Castillo through its website, Mr Edwards took
his inquiries about the exploration to the mining regulator.
“I got an email from
their managing director … and he said they were just out there doing some
investigation and it wasn’t very much to worry about,” he said.
But this has not eased
his concerns about the future of the Clarence Valley’s rivers.
“It would be good to get
out there and see what they are actually doing,” he said.
“They’ve been talking up
their exploration finds to date … maybe that is to just get investors’ money,
but it’s certainly in a bad position where the river is and where all this
siltation and run-off and toxic crap that runs off when they mine copper,
silver...
“It’s not going to be
easy for them when they are at the top of a hill overlooking a river.”
Mr Clancy said the group
would need to get more information so they could understand exactly how the ore
would be mined.
“There is loss of
vegetation and threatened species on the hill. This is going to be an open cut
mine … and the water table may not be up there, but once they’ve got an open
cut mine it will gather water and they have to use water in the process to get
the minerals out.
“They will be creating
their own artificial ponds and we would have to explore this further, but I
know with (extracting) gold they use arsenic.
“There are a whole range
of chemicals they could be using. Whatever projections they are supposed to
use, they often don’t work.”
The group is planning to
do more research and attempt to make contact with the company before they hold
another meeting in one month’s time at the Grafton library.
[my yellow bolding]
Castillo Copper Limited (ASX:CCZ) is a West Australian base metal explorer listed on the stock exchange which has four subsidiaries:
Castillo Copper Chile Spa, Total Minerals Pty Ltd, Queensland Commodities Pty Ltd and Total Iron Pty Ltd.
Castillo Copper Limited holds three mining exploration leases as part of its Jackadgery Project:
Castillo Copper Chile Spa, Total Minerals Pty Ltd, Queensland Commodities Pty Ltd and Total Iron Pty Ltd.
Castillo Copper Limited holds three mining exploration leases as part of its Jackadgery Project:
EL 8625 (1992) 17-Jul-2017 17-Jul-2020 35
UNITS About 43 km WNW of GRAFTON TOTAL
MINERALS PTY LTD est. at 155 km2
EL 8635 (1992) 21-Aug-2017 21-Aug-2020 52
UNITS About 41 km WNW of GRAFTON TOTAL
IRON PTY LTD
EL 8601 (1992) 21-Jun-2017 21-Jun 2020 51
UNITS About 38 km SE of DRAKE QUEENSLAND COMMODITIES PTY LTD.
Castillo Copper is not characterising its activities on these leases as "just doing some investigation".
In fact it is indicating to its shareholders and the stock exchange that the company has clear intentions to mine at the old Cangai Mine site before the end of the exploration on these leases:
* “Road to fast-track
production taking shape”
* “Preliminary
metallurgical test-work on samples from the two McDonough’s stockpiles, along
the line of lode, has demonstrated the ore can be beneficiated materially….. Discussions
continue with prospective off-take partners interested in processing ore as
relevant information comes to hand …. Meanwhile, the geology team have
approached the regulator for guidance on the optimal way forward to remove the
stockpiles from site and capture the economic benefits”
* “…they are an asset and
could potentially generate early cashflow”
* “The clear options are
third party processing locally or a direct shipping ore product once regulatory
clearance is secured”.
Castillo Copper Limited images
Well, the board is composed of:
Peter Francis Meagher, company director since 2 February 2018, from East Freemantle, West Australia - position Chairman;
Peter Smith, on the board as but not officially listed as a director of Castillo Copper Limited - position Non-Executive Director; and
Alan David Stephen Armstrong, company director since 1 August 2017, from Canning Vale West Australia - position Executive Director.
Listed company director who is not included at https://www.castillocopper.com/board/ is:
Neil Armstrong Hutchinson. company director since 1 August 2017, from Double View, Western Australia - position previously reported to be Technical Executive Director at Castillo Copper Limited since August 1, 2017. by Bloomberg.
NOTE; All three listed company directors appear to be shareholders in this miming company.
Castillo Copper Limited's Top 20 shareholders as of 20 September 2017 were:
Castillo Copper Limited Annual Report 2016-17 |
Labels:
Clarence River,
Clarence Valley,
environmental vandalism,
mining,
water
Wednesday 12 September 2018
Yet another opportunistic mining exploration company has the Clarence Valley in its sights: Public Meeting 2.30pm on 13 September 2018 at Grafton Regional Library
Having received approval from the NSW mining regulator in June 2018 Castillo Copper Limited (CCZ) has
proceeded with its exploratory drilling program with a view to establishing an
open cut mine at Cangai in the Clarence Valley.
Castillo Copper Limited image |
This small West
Australian base metal exploration company may be operating on a shoestring
budget and currently trade at only $0.039 per ordinary share, however an open
cut mine so close to the Mann River means that the greed of Messrs. Peter Meagher, Peter Smith And Alan
Armstrong has the potential to severely damage the Clarence River system.
2 hrs ·
Goodbye Mann and Clarence Rivers if this gets approval. The plan is to
open cut mine and that involves removing a large hill and metal extraction
usually involves highly polluting chemicals. This is no win for the Valley. It
is a disaster. A meeting is being held at the Clarence Regional Library in
Grafton at 2.30 PM on Thursday September 13 to discuss this threat to the
Rivers. All welcome.
Labels:
Clarence Valley,
environmental vandalism,
mining,
pollution
Wednesday 8 August 2018
Stopping coal expansions in NSW that are bigger than Adani's proposed Carmichael Mine complex
If you’re concerned about extreme weather & drought, get involved in stopping coal expansions in NSW that are bigger than Adani.— Annie Kia (@AnnieKia) August 2, 2018
Cast your ballot here:https://t.co/qEbG1rXZDU#nswpolpic.twitter.com/YVBapNOlfK
Friday 13 July 2018
Five to face Brisbane court over serious breaches of environmental law
It is thought
that up to 320 square kilometres of agricultural land around Chinchilla may be at risk from contamination by chemicals and gases, due to alleged mismanagement
of underground burning by Linc Energy
Limited.
In November 2016 former Linc Energy chief executive Peter Bond along with four former
staff members – Donald Schofield (managing
director), Stephen Dumble (chief
operations officer), Jacobus Terblanche
(chief operations manager) and Darryl
Rattai (former general manager) – were summonsed
for breaching environmental law.
However their matters were adjoined until after The Queen v. Linc Energy Ltd was
concluded and are all five are now due to face a committal hearing in the Brisbane
Magistrates Court this month.
BRIEF BACKGROUND
A gas company has been
fined a record $4.5 million for causing serious environmental harm at its
underground coal gasification plant on Queensland's western Darling Downs.
Linc Energy was found guilty by a District Court jury in Brisbane last
month after a 10-week trial.
The company was charged
with five counts of wilfully and unlawfully causing serious environmental harm
between 2007 and 2013 at Hopeland near Chinchilla.
Linc Energy mismanaged
the underground burning of coal seams, which caused rock to fracture and
allowed the escape of toxic gases which contaminated the air, soil and water on
site.
The court heard the
highest fine imposed upon a company so far in Queensland for similar offending
was $500,000.
Linc Energy did not
defend itself during the trial because it is now in liquidation.
Five executive directors
have been charged with failing to ensure compliance of the company and are due
to face a committal hearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in July.
Prosecutor Ralph Devlin
told the court the company knew it was causing damage but pressed ahead with
operations, and described its offending as "serious".
"The defendant
acted in devious and cavalier way … its motivation was commercial gain,"
he said.
"It pursued
commercial interests over environmental safeguards."
The court heard there
would be monitoring and remediation of the site for decades to come, and it
will take potentially between 10 to 20 years for groundwater to recover.
The
Sydney Morning Herald,
10 April 2018:
“It was an undefended
case, the liquidators chose not to defend it, so, of course, there is going to
be a guilty verdict,’’ he [Peter
Bond] told The Australian of Monday's court ruling.
“It means nothing; there
was no one in court to call bullshit and there was a lot of bullshit to that
case."
Excerpt from THE
QUEEN v. LINC ENERGY LTD (IN LIQUIDATION), 11 May 2018, Sentence:
HIS HONOUR: On the 9th
of April 2018, Linc Energy Limited in liquidation was found guilty by a jury of
five counts of wilfully and unlawfully causing serious environmental harm. That
followed a 10-week trial, and the offence is contained in the Environmental
Protection Act. There was no appearance by the defendant in in liquidation pursuant to an order of the
Supreme Court under the Corporations Law. The liquidators did not have to
appear. That caused particular difficulties during the trial and also has an
impact on sentence proceedings as I have not been assisted by any submissions
on behalf of the defendant in relation to penalty.
As the defendant is a
corporation, the only penalties that are open are financial: either a fine or
compensation. The provision in relation to the imposition of fines is covered
by sections 45 to 48 of the Penalties and Sentences Act. The first aspect of
that is that, pursuant to section 48(1)(a) and (b) and subsection (2) of that
Penalties and Sentences Act, the Court must take into account:
…so far as is practicable,
the financial circumstances of the offender and the nature of the burden the
imposition of the fine would have on the offender.
Section 48, subsection
(2) provides the Court may fine if it is unable to find out the matters referred to in subsection (1). There
is no information before me as to the circumstances of the liquidation of the
corporation. I am unaware of any of its assets or liabilities, or whether it
will have the capacity to pay fines. As to the utility of imposing a financial
penalty on a corporation in liquidation, there are no restrictions in law as to
that. Indeed, the cases referred to me demonstrate it is appropriate, 25
whether as a need for denunciation or general deterrence of specific criminal
conduct…..
In relation to counts 1
to 3, a combination of section 437 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and
45 section 181B of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 provides a maximum
penalty of five times the 4165 penalty units, that is, a total of 1,561,875
thousand dollars for each of the offences covered in counts 1 to 3……
In my view, the
defendant put its commercial interests well above its duty to conduct its
processes in a way that safeguarded the environment. This is shown by its continued
efforts to be seen as a successful Gas to Liquid producer on a commercial
scale, where it operated gasifiers clearly above hydrostatic pressure to
produce suitable gas for the GTL process, well knowing that contaminants were
escaping widely and that damage to the land structure was occurring. As I have
noted during the course of argument, there are varying degrees of wilfulness,
which is an element of each offence.
The Prosecution have
submitted that the appropriate way to approach the quantum is 45 by assessing
the maximum and then reaching an appropriate proportion to address each
offence. In terms of the section I earlier quoted in relation to the quantum of
fines, it seems to me the damage
occasioned by each of these offences is significant and needs to be taken into
account in the calculation of a quantum. In relation to each of counts 1 to 3,
I accept the Prosecution’s submission that it is appropriate to impose 50 per
cent of the maximum in relation to those.
In relation to each of
counts 4 and 5, as I have noted, there are aggravating features. The defendant
was well aware of the problems with the site and proceeded in disregard of its
own experts. They had clearly advised the site was unsuitable because of the
earlier gasifier operations; however, the defendant persisted simply 10 on a
commercial basis.
In relation to the final
count, the defendant purposely hid the issue of groundwater contamination from
the regulator. I accept the Prosecution’s submission that fines in relation to
each of those later offences should be at 75 per cent of the maximum.
I intend to reduce each
of those fines to recognise the totality issues that I have spoken about,
including the interplay between each offence and the damage that has actually
been occasioned. On each of counts 1, 2 and 3, I fine the defendant the sum of
$700,000. On each of counts 4 and 5, I fine the defendant the sum of
$1,200,000. Convictions are recorded. The Prosecution does not seek its costs
in relation to this Prosecution.
Labels:
Coal Seam Gas Mining,
court,
environmental vandalism,
law,
pollution
Saturday 7 July 2018
Tuesday 3 July 2018
Japan finds threats and bribery not working as well as expected with member countries in International Whaling Commission – will seek to change voting rules
I’ve lost
count of the times that Japan has
threatened to leave the International
Whaling Commission (IWC) and bribery allegations seem to have been floating
around forever.
Whaling Commission (IWC) and bribery allegations seem to have been floating
around forever.
However, it
appears the Government of Japan is not satisfied with results to date
and now want to see IWC voting rules changed so that it won’t take as many
threats and bribes to get its way and recommence large-scale commercial whaling.
and now want to see IWC voting rules changed so that it won’t take as many
threats and bribes to get its way and recommence large-scale commercial whaling.
Kyoda
News, 27 June
2018:
Japan is set to propose
resuming commercial whaling of some species at a
meeting of the International Whaling Commission in September as a ruling
party endorsed the government plan on Tuesday.
meeting of the International Whaling Commission in September as a ruling
party endorsed the government plan on Tuesday.
Tokyo is targeting
certain types of whales whose numbers are relatively
abundant such as minke whales for the proposal, but it remains uncertain
whether it can secure support from members of the IWC that are split over
whaling.
abundant such as minke whales for the proposal, but it remains uncertain
whether it can secure support from members of the IWC that are split over
whaling.
Tuesday's approval by
the Liberal Democratic Party came amid emerging
calls from some government officials and ruling party lawmakers that Japan
should weigh withdrawal from the IWC.
calls from some government officials and ruling party lawmakers that Japan
should weigh withdrawal from the IWC.
Their criticism is
directed at the divisive and what they see as dysfunctional
nature of the international body, with one ruling party source saying, "We
are not going to drag this out."
nature of the international body, with one ruling party source saying, "We
are not going to drag this out."
At the meeting from
Sept. 10 to 14 in Brazil, to be chaired by Japanese
government representative Joji Morishita, Japan plans to make a packaged
proposal that also calls for easing of the IWC's decision-making rules, a plan
seen as a tactic to court anti-whaling members.
government representative Joji Morishita, Japan plans to make a packaged
proposal that also calls for easing of the IWC's decision-making rules, a plan
seen as a tactic to court anti-whaling members.
Currently, approval from
a majority of three-fourths of IWC members is
needed to set a catch quota or a sanctuary where whaling is banned.
The Japanese proposal is to lower the hurdle to a simple majority.
needed to set a catch quota or a sanctuary where whaling is banned.
The Japanese proposal is to lower the hurdle to a simple majority.
The potential easing of
the rules will make it easier for anti-whaling members
to secure support for designating a new whale sanctuary.
to secure support for designating a new whale sanctuary.
Of the IWC's 88 members,
40 support whaling while the remaining 48 are
against the practice, according to Japan's Fisheries Agency.
against the practice, according to Japan's Fisheries Agency.
The IWC, which aims to
manage whaling and conserve whales, was
established in 1948. In 1982, it declared there should be a moratorium on
commercial whaling and the ban came into force in 1986.
established in 1948. In 1982, it declared there should be a moratorium on
commercial whaling and the ban came into force in 1986.
Japan stopped commercial
whaling across the board in fiscal 1988. But it
continues to hunt whales for "research purposes," drawing criticism
overseas that the practice is a cover for commercial whaling.
continues to hunt whales for "research purposes," drawing criticism
overseas that the practice is a cover for commercial whaling.
Phys
Org, 27 June
2018:
At September's meeting
in Brazil, Japan "will propose setting a catch
quota for species whose stocks are recognised as healthy by the IWC
scientific committee", Hideki Moronuki, an official in charge of whaling at
Japan's fisheries agency, told AFP.
quota for species whose stocks are recognised as healthy by the IWC
scientific committee", Hideki Moronuki, an official in charge of whaling at
Japan's fisheries agency, told AFP.
Moronuki said the
proposal would not specify which whale species and
how many mammals Japan wants to hunt, but he said the IWC classifies
several species as no longer depleted.
how many mammals Japan wants to hunt, but he said the IWC classifies
several species as no longer depleted.
The moratorium has been
in place since 1986, and Japan's previous
attempts to win a partial lifting have been unsuccessful.
attempts to win a partial lifting have been unsuccessful.
Japan will also propose
measures to change the body's decision-making
process, lowering the threshold for proposals to pass from three quarters
of members to half.
process, lowering the threshold for proposals to pass from three quarters
of members to half.
"The IWC has not
been functioning. We should get united to build a more
cooperative system," Moronuki said.
cooperative system," Moronuki said.
Tokyo has continued to
hunt whales despite the moratorium, exploiting a
loophole allowing "scientific research". It says the research is necessary to prove whale populations are large enough to sustain a return to commercial
hunting.
loophole allowing "scientific research". It says the research is necessary to prove whale populations are large enough to sustain a return to commercial
hunting.
It makes no secret of
the fact that meat from the expeditions ends up on dinner tables, despite a
significant decline in the popularity of whale meat.
Whales were a key
protein source in the immediate post-World War II years,
when the country was desperately poor, but most Japanese now say they
rarely or never eat whale.
when the country was desperately poor, but most Japanese now say they
rarely or never eat whale.
But foreign pressure on
Japan to stop whaling has hardened the positions
of conservative activists and politicians.
of conservative activists and politicians.
Japan cancelled its
2014-2015 hunt after the International Court of Justice
said permits being issued by Tokyo were "not for purposes of scientific
research".
said permits being issued by Tokyo were "not for purposes of scientific
research".
But it resumed the hunts
in 2016, and conservationists were furious this
year after Japan reported it had caught 333 minkes on its latest expedition,
122 of which were pregnant.
year after Japan reported it had caught 333 minkes on its latest expedition,
122 of which were pregnant.
Japanese officials said
the high rate of pregnant whales showed the strength
of the minke population.
of the minke population.
Japan's last bid to ease
the restrictions was in 2014, when the IWC voted
down its request to hunt 17 minke whales in its coastal waters—where
smaller whales which Japan claims are not regulated by the committee are
already hunted.
down its request to hunt 17 minke whales in its coastal waters—where
smaller whales which Japan claims are not regulated by the committee are
already hunted.
Thursday 28 June 2018
Conservationists Alarmed at NSW Government Plans for our Forests
Conservationists
are alarmed about the NSW Government’s proposals to increase logging intensity
in our public forests.
And while the
Government is proposing drastic changes weakening logging rules, it is avoiding
holding meaningful public consultations about their plans. North Coast
conservationists had wanted to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to visit
local forests to see first hand the damage that has already resulted from the
current logging practices. The EPA refused to participate.
This is
probably not surprising given that the EPA, which is charged with monitoring
and ensuring compliance of logging operations in the State Forests, has failed
in ensuring that the current regulations have been adhered to. And on those occasions when it has determined
that there have been breaches, the penalties it imposed have been of the “slap
on the wrist” nature. So it is no wonder that the current rules have frequently
been ignored.
The North
Coast Environment Council (NCEC) and the North East Forests Alliance (NEFA) are
countering the Government’s current consultation failure by holding their own
meetings to explain to the community exactly what the Government has in mind
for the future of our public forests. Several meetings have already been held
on the North Coast with more planned, including one for Grafton at the Grafton
District Services Club (upstairs) on Saturday June 30.
In a recent
statement NCEC Vice-President Susie Russell outlined the consequences of the
Government’s proposed changes.
“If the
proposed rules are implemented, every population centre on the north coast will
see its water yields drop as intensive land clearfell logging dries out the
catchments. There will be increased erosion and sedimentation of streams from
decreased stream buffers.
“The
extinction cliff for many of our native animals and plants will be reached
faster as there will no longer be a requirement to look for them prior to
logging.
“The carbon storage
capacity of our forest estate will be greatly diminished as logging intensity
increases and the dense, young regrowth is more flammable than the mature
forests it replaces.
“All this at
a time when climate change is accelerating and the planet's temperature is
rising. We need now to be protecting our future by maximising the shade,
natural water and carbon storage, while connecting habitats to enable animals
to move to more suitable areas,” she said.
The NCEC is
concerned that areas that have been off-limits to logging for 20 years - old
growth forest, stream protection buffers, and high quality koala habitat – will
be sacrificed to meet wood contracts.
Our state
Government needs to be reminded that State Forests belong to the people of this
state – not to the timber industry or to a Government that seems hell-bent on
damaging as much of the natural environment as it can while it is in office.
- Leonie Blain
Friday 1 June 2018
This barbaric whale slaughter must end!
Antartic minke whale in Science, Space and Robots blog, 23 April 2014 |
The
Courier-Mail can reveal that 95 per cent of the female whales slaughtered
by the Japanese were carrying calves.
Federal Environment
Minister Josh Frydenberg has slammed the Japanese whale hunt.
“The Australian
Government is deeply disappointed that Japan continues to undertake so-called
‘scientific’ whaling,” he said.
“The Government has made
representations at the highest levels to Japan – and will continue to do so…..
Japanese whalers killed
333 minke whales – plus 122 unborn calves – in the Southern Ocean last summer.
“Apparent pregnancy rate
of sampled animals was high’’, the Japanese whalers stated in a new report to
International Whaling Commission’s scientific committee meeting in Slovenia this
month.
“One or two minke whales
were sampled randomly from each … school using harpoons with a 30g penthrite
grenade.’’
The whalers killed one
in every three of the protected marine mammals they spotted.
Eleven whales managed to
avoid the harpoons by hiding in water with high-density ice.
Over three months, two
Japanese ships equipped with cannons hunted the whales for 12 hours a day – harpooning
some whales 10m long.
Commercial whaling was
banned more than 30 years ago but Japan continues to hunt by using a loophole
to kill whales for “scientific research’’.
The Humane Society
International (HSI) blasted the harpooning of pregnant whales as a “truly
gruesome and unnecessary’’.
HSI senior program
manager Alexia Wellbelove said the “scientific whaling’’ was a front for the
meat trade, as the whales were taken back to Japan for human and pet food.
“The killing of 122
pregnant whales is a shocking statistic and sad indictment on the cruelty of
Japan’s whale hunt,’’ she said yesterday.
Ms Wellbelove called on
State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to use her trade visit to Japan this week
to lobby its government to stop whaling.
“They claim it’s
necessary to understand whale biology but that information can be obtained
through a biopsy,’’ Ms Wellbelove said.
“The whales often get
used for pet food.’’
The IWC report, written
by employees of the Institution of Cetacean Research in Tokyo, the Kyodo
Senpaku fishing company and Tokyo University, says the whales were killed to
obtain data on the “age, sexual maturity and body length of the whales’’.
The Japanese analysed
the stomach content to “estimate prey consumption’’ and measured blubber
thickness to “study the nutritional condition’’ of the dead whales.
Minke whale surfaces through Antartic ice, vms.edu photo set |
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