The Visual Petition is a powerful statement to the world declaring that surfers, as a global culture, will no longer stand by and let our ocean kin be murdered. Whales and Dolphins are revered by surfers and ocean lovers all over the world, though a minority of humans are intent on wiping out these masters of the ocean. Up to 26,000 Dolphins are killed every year in Japan, along with thousands of Whales killed by Norway, Japan and Iceland despite an international ban on commercial whaling. As Andy Irons says ''the surf community itself, being ocean people, have huge support for sea life especially Whales and Dolphins as we see them more than anyone..."
Thus, this growing movement amongst our culture to see the protection of our oceans and her inhabitants is one that no other group of humans is more suited for. The Visual Petition is our chance to let the collective voice of surfers be heard and to issue this warning to all those who have no respect for the oceans and her Whales and Dolphins, we know what you are doing, and we are coming to stop you.
For more in depth information and more ways to take action, go to savejapandolphins.org
Dolphin Ceremony in Taiji, Japan (27th October 2007) More Videos
latest visual petition entries
Above are the latest 25 Petitions. Once your uploaded portrait is approved, you can view it here alongside some of the biggest celebrities in our culture! Your petition will be seen around the world on this website, and also at the next International Whaling Commission (IWC) Meeting in Chile 2008.
Show your face.. be heard.. stand up for our ocean friends!
The Visual Petition Contest gives 5 passionate people the opportunity
to travel with Rasta and other top surfers to the IWC (International Whaling Commision) meeting in Chile June 2008. On an all expenses paid trip the person who gathers the largest quantity of portraits for the Visual Petition in their part of the world will help to physically hand the global petition to the delegates of the IWC. Together, the group will surf, protest, play music, and join with Chilean people, to protest the killing of Cetaceans.
Benjamin Potts and Giles Lane were transferred from the Yushiin Maru No. 2 to the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking early in the morning at 0200 Hours Melbourne time. (1300 Hours GMT).
The two men were transferred to the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin at 0930 Hours Melbourne time (2030 Hours GMT).
Both men were happy to be reunited with their shipmates and eager to return to chasing the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Oceans.
Both men reported that although they were roughed up when they first boarded the whaling ship, that they were treated well during their time onboard. The only injury was a bruised wrist suffered by Giles Lane.
“It did not take long before the whalers realized that they made a huge public relations mistake in keeping us on their ship.” Said Benjamin Potts. “We made it clear to them that Sea Shepherd was committed to stopping their illegal whaling activities.”
“Although we appreciate the concern that people have expressed for our welfare, it is important to remember that this is not about us.” Said Giles Lane. “It’s about stopping this cruel and illegal whale hunt. The treatment that we received was trivial in comparison to the suffering that the whales experience at the hands of the Japanese whalers. They may have been rough with us but at least we were not harpooned, electrocuted and mutilated. This is not about us, it’s about the whales.”
The Steve Irwin is continuing it’s pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet. “This is the 8th day that whales have not been killed,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Every day that we stop the whalers is a victory. We will continue to intervene, harass, block, and obstruct the whalers at every opportunity.”
The Steve Irwin is presently at 59 Degrees 46 Minutes South and 85 Degrees 59 Minutes East and on the tail of the Japanese whaling fleet.
The Australian court has ruled that the Japanese whaling fleet cannot kill whales in Australian Antarctic Territorial waters. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is prepared to work with the Australian government to uphold the court’s ruling to ban the Japanese fleet from Australian waters.
Sea Shepherd Mounts Retaliatory Strike on Japanese Hostage Ship
Immediately after the two Sea Shepherd men were returned to the Steve Irwin, the Yushiin Maru No. 2 approached within three miles of the Steve Irwin.
1st Officer Peter Brown dispatched a Delta inflatable and small crew to approach the Japanese whaler to deploy a flurry of stink bombs onto the deck of the whaling vessel.
Benjamin Potts reported that during the two and half days they spent on the ship the Japanese crew rarely ventured out onto the deck because of the noxious lingering odor of rotten butter.
The Sea Shepherd crew routinely use bottles of buyteric acid to clear the decks of poaching vessels. This is a non-toxic chemical. It is literally butter acid and the smell of rancid rotting butter is extremely noxious.
The Yushiin Maru No. 2 fled eastward as the Delta pursued them and then rejoined the Steve Irwin to pick up the two released crewmembers from the Oceanic Viking..
Captain Paul Watson
Master - The Steve Irwin
Master - The Farley Mowat
Founder and President of the
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
www.Seashepherd.org
Captain@seashepherd.amosconnect.com
As the IWC meeting in Chile has now been put forward to June, we can now extend the deadline for the Visual Petition competition by another month!
So, the new closing date is: 1st June, 2008. Midnight Australian Eastern Standard Time.
Also, we have changed the rules of the competition to allow younger people to get involved. In a nutshell:
• under 18yrs old must be accompanied by an adult
• 18-21yrs old must have written consent by a parent or guardian
We are really pushing to get more of an interest in Asia and Africa, so if you know anyone who lives in these areas please pass on as much information as you can or contact us and we can send out information kits and media kits.
*photos from the recent 'Save the Whales Again' event at Bondi Beach on Friday November 16th, 2007
