How are Whales being Protected…The ban of commercial whaling in 1986 led to a strong recovery of the whales’ populations. It is now estimated that the current population of whales is 93% of its original size … Reducing the Threat of Being Hunted … Creating safe spaces where whales of all types can survive has had a positive effect on their populations. For Instance … In the North Atlantic the current population of whales is estimated to be near 75,000 ! ... In Addition … The population of whales in Greenland has increased to become much less endangered … Elsewhere, there is research that needs to be completed before there is a reliable estimate of the Whale’s total current population and threats to its safety … Global Commercial Whaling … Today, commercial whaling has the largest single effect on the endangerment of the whale’s population. Other factors that contribute to the whales’ current endangered status includes ship strikes and the effects of ingesting seaborne trash and other pollutants. The Current Condition of Endangered Whales … Whale oil is very rarely used by most countries anymore. This is due to the enforcement of illegal commercial whaling practices, and the overall opposition against killing whales in many countries … Indigenous Whaling … This is the hunting of whales by indigenous peoples. It is recognized by either the International Whaling Commission, or the hunting is considered as part of indigenous activity by the native peoples within a particular country. This activity is permitted under international regulation, but in some countries it remains a contentious issue … Small-Scale Whale Killings … In some countries, whale meat is considered a delicacy and may be sold at a premium price. One loophole that has been known to be used for commercial whaling practices in the past is to capture a whale and claim that it is for … Research Purposes … and then sell the meat while explaining that it is the best way to get rid of the whale’s corpse. The legal reason to gather whales for research purposes is to better understand a local population’s health and to better determine their condition while suggesting improvements to protect the whale species and improve its habitat. Some organizations believe this is a loophole that is being exploited while allowing certain countries to get away with continuing their commercial whaling practices even though numerous counties have adopted policies and laws that prevent commercial whaling. Today a handful of countries still engage in commercial whaling … Growing Pressure From Other Countries and Organizations … These activities appear to be causing a declining interest in hunting whales because most people have become more and more aware of the current situation and its effect on the Whale’s population … Negative Public Relations Efforts … These target countries participating in illegal whaling with the purpose being to discourage continued whaling activities … Whale Watching … Many experts believe that countries that whale would gain long lasting benefits if they chose to create a strong whale watching industry rather than killing whales for food …Thankfully, the ban on commercial whaling has had a largely positive effect on improving whales’ current condition. However, it remains uncertain which species will fully recover and which ones may not be able to repopulate fast enough to avoid possible extinction. Today the current status of endangered whales remains the cause and outcome of human actions … In 1931 international agreements were initiated and completed. Their goal was to begin regulating the whaling industry. The intent of these efforts was to preserve the endangered species of whales. Later, in 1946 The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was created and signed by numerous countries. Adding to this effort, The International Whaling Commission was then given the task to regulate whale killings among those countries who signed the agreement. This compliance effectively reduced the number of whales killed, and increased the monitoring of the whaling industry. These collective efforts helped to reduce the number of whale killings, and the killing of other endangered species as well …The International Whaling Commission (IWC) … This entity was set up to help regulate whale killings among those countries who signed into the agreement to stabilize whale killing, monitor the whaling industry, and helping to prevent killings of endangered species… In 1982 the IWC proposed restrictions on all commercial whaling activities which were enforced in 1986. The Norwegian, Japanese, and the Russian governments objected to the prohibition. In 1994 The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was established. It is believed that in the long-term the world's declining population of whales will recover because of the establishment of this sanctuary. These regulations offer total protection for certain declining species of whales by putting in place limits on the number of whales that are hunted within a given period. They also have designated whale sanctuaries and prohibit the hunting of female whales and suckling calves. They compile statistical, biological and catch reports on whales and on whaling activities. The commission also encourages, funds, and coordinates scientific research on whales and promotes studies on whale killing operations. The commission also has a mandate to prevent large-scale commercial whaling activities. Since the IWC’s inception there has been a broad range of threats to whales. This is caused by a complex host of marine issues that make it nearly impossible to separate threats posed as a result of marine pollution, verses overfishing from commercial whaling activities. The IWC continues to broaden its scope to deal with other human activities that harm the environment and endangered whales. These efforts help to ensure the conservation of the species that are closest to extinction … According to an estimate by the International Whaling Commission there are at least 1.5 million whales left in the world. This estimate is not complete because it does not cover all species. It is therefore impossible to know the exact number of whales that remain in the oceans of the world … 15 Types of Whales … 1.Blue Whales, 2.Balaenoptera, 3.Musculus, 4.Fin Whales, 5. Balaenoptera Physalus, 6.Sei Whales, 7.Balaenoptera Borealis, 8. Humpback Whales, 9. Megaptera Novaeangliae, 10.Bowhead, 11. Balaena Mysticetus, 12/13. North Atlantic and North Pacific Right Whales, 14.Glacialis Whales,
and 15, Australis. Today, many species are threatened by ship collisions, entanglement in fishing nets, and separation from calving because of ship traffic … Remember
... Smart Boating is Safe Boating … Keep a Sharp Lookout For Whales !!!
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