Greenpeace confiscates ''wall of death'' net in the Med.

lauricedeephd writes "Activists on board the Greenpeace vessel, Arctic Sunrise, have said they confronted Italian fishing “pirates” in the Mediterranean Sea and confiscated almost two kilometers of illegal driftnet containing dead undersized bluefin tunas and a small sea turtle, that was later released alive.

The Arctic Sunrise crew said it came across the Italian fishing vessel Diomede II, fishing with 8 – 10 kilometers of driftnet in international waters approximately fifty kilometers from the coast of Sicily, Italy."

Update: System uses sound to find whales, avoid ship strikes. USA

lauricedeephd writes "A spotter bangs three times on the boat's cabin roof, signaling the captain to cut the throttle — now. In the foggy gray of Cape Cod Bay, the reason for the abrupt stop soon becomes apparent: The research vessel is surrounded by rare North Atlantic right whales, their glossy black heads bobbing just above the surface as they feed on plankton slicks.

Ship strikes are the top human-related cause of death for these mammals, which are in danger even from this vessel, a slow-moving research boat called the Shearwater. But new technology could soon help safeguard the whales by using sound, not sight, to track the creatures' movements."

Jojoba Industry Joins Fight To End Trade In Whale Products.

lauricedeephd writes "WDCS has joined the International Jojoba Export Council (IJEC) in signing an agreement reflecting their commitment to end the commercial hunting of whales and trade in whale oil by minimising economic incentives for these products.

Commercial demand for whale oil once drove an industrial-scale slaughter of whales that pushed many species to the brink of extinction. Before commercial whaling and international trade in whale products were banned in 1986, spermaceti, a solid white wax found in the blubber of whales, and the head cavity of sperm whales, was widely used as an emollient in cosmetics, mostly in very fine creams and lotions, and in topical pharmaceuticals."

$1m whale case against Japan beached. Australia

Australia is likely to abandon its $1 million attempt to take Japan to the international court over whaling after New Zealand gave up its plans to use legal action to stop the annual cull.

The Rudd Government embraced the use of the UN's international court soon after the election, using aircraft and ships to gather evidence against Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean.

By George, a dashing dolphin that chases cats. New Zealand

A dashing dolphin called George is charming boatloads of tourists in an Abel Tasman National Park bay.

George dances across the water at the sound of the Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles' catamarans for a scratch on the hull and a play in the wake, following the boats into Totaranui to the delight of passengers.

All eyes trained on the sea whale migration starts. Australia

Migrating humpback whales can now be seen from Cape Byron, and in just a few weeks watchers will be guaranteed a sighting from the headland.

And all eyes will be looking out for the rare all-white humpback Migaloo, who is the only documented hypo-pigmented, or albino, whale of its kind in the world.

Marine mammal returns to bridge. UK

A marine mammal not seen regularly in the sea around the Kessock Bridge at Inverness for a number of years may be making a comeback.

Charlie Phillips, of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said porpoise sightings had been reported.

Dolphin found dead in Lucknow canal. India

A male Gangetic dolphin was found dead in the Indira Canal here Wednesday, officials said.

'Although we have sent the dolphin for a post-mortem examination, the death appears to be natural. It probably died due to scarcity of water in the canal,' said M.P. Singh, Awadh assistant conservator of forests.

Whale found dead on Washington coast apparently starved. WA, USA

Marine biologists believe a gray whale that washed ashore on the Long Beach Peninsula died of starvation.

Biologists from Cascadia Research conducted a post-mortem Monday on the 26-foot carcass near Copalis Spit.

Bank Holiday Sightings Summary. Ireland

lauricedeephd writes "After the long May bank-holiday weekend, which offered reasonable whale-watching conditions, we summarise sightings from around the Irish coast. Although sightings reports are still being sent online on www.iwdg.ie, we've received 14 validated records thus far, of which 13 have been confirmed to species level.

Surprisingly, the most frequently reported species isn't a cetacean; as basking sharks represented 50% of all reports. They were observed in Counties Cork (Long Strand, Dursey & Dirk Bay), Kerry (Valentia Isl.), Clare (Loop Head & Bridges of Ross)and Donegal (Inishtrahull Isl.)"

Stellwagen report grim. USA

lauricedeephd writes "A long-awaited government plan for protecting a marine preserve 25 miles off Boston proposes few new fishing or other restrictions, despite the document's sobering conclusion that humans are harming whales and fish.

The 842-square-mile Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is among the world's richest ocean feeding grounds, but it is suffering from a host of problems, from fishermen taking too many big, mature fish to whales getting entangled in fishing gear, says the draft plan being released today."

Intransigent Industry Drives Dolphins To Death. New Zealand

lauricedeephd writes "Intransigent Fishing Industry Drives Hector's and Maui's Dolphins To Extinction

Conservation group Care for the Wild International (CWI) says that urgent action needs to be taken now to protect New Zealand’s Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins from commercial and recreational fishing; if not these endangered dolphins will soon become extinct."

Georgia Aquarium announces plans for dolphin exhibit. USA

The world's largest aquarium is getting even bigger.

Georgia Aquarium officials announced Tuesday a $110 million expansion that will feature dolphins. The exhibit, the largest expansion since the aquarium opened three years ago in downtown Atlanta, will include dolphin shows when it opens in November 2010, said philanthropist Bernie Marcus, a co-founder of Home Depot and founder of the aquarium.

First Time In World History, Killer Whales Filmed Hunting Dolphins. South Africa

A tour operator in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, unwittingly stumbled into the history books this weekend when he, his boat captain, and four tourists were in the right place at the right time to make the first recording ever of Orca whales hunting dolphins.

Ranier Schimpf was leading a group of divers when they noticed that one dolphin had been separated from a pod by five of the killer whales then repeatedly rammed. The dolphin was sent flying through the air by the force of impact from whales that were several times its size. With the smaller creature finally left laying unconscious on the surface, the whales pulled it below.

'Holy Grail' of Animal Rights Law Tantalizes a New Breed of Lawyer.

lauricedeephd writes "A few years back, a lawyer sued President Bush in Hawaii on behalf of all the world's whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Although the case was dismissed, the outcome gave animal rights lawyers a glimmer of hope. At the time, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that it saw "no reason" why the Constitution prevents federal courts from hearing cases brought in the name of animals. All that was needed, the 9th Circuit suggested, was an act of Congress.

Congress hasn't been forthcoming with such a law."