There were many important issues affecting marine mammals this year. Here I select commentaries on four that I think were especially important this year:
1. Whaling: For the first time in its sixty five year history the International Whaling Commission did not meet, as it has switched to a two-year meeting cycle. However, whaling remained at the focus of international dispute when the case made by Australia against Japan over its Scientific Whaling reached the International Court of Justice.
Andrew Darby – a distinguished Australian Journalist - wrote a
series of articles published on-line around the whaling case some six months ago. We are still awaiting the
outcome of this game-changer. Here is a link to one of these articles where he sums up the
aspirations of the Australian
side: XXX
2. Another development this year was some unfounded controversy
in the press about dolphin intelligence and behaviour. Here is Philippa Brakes commenting on this in the Huffington
Post: XXX
3. Some species are critically endangered. Erich Hoytt discusses the threat to New Zealand's endemic dolphin here: XXX
4. The keeping of cetaceans in captivity continued to recieve high public profile with the release of the film Blackfish', here Wayne Parcelle of the Humane Society comments XXX
The Mouse Choir of Olde Shanklin Towne |
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