'Adíshní

The Japanese whalers have officially ended their 2010-2011 slaughter and are on their way back to Japan.

Can I get a 'HELL YEAH'?!?! XD

Linky...

Upon the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel the Steve Irwin's return to port in Hobart this morning, the Australian federal police once again raided the ship on the request of Japanese authorities. The Bob Barker was also boarded when it came into port this afternoon to be welcomed by supporters and Senator Bob Brown.

"``The spineless Rudd Government has laid charges, including throwing of rancid butter, but the Shonan Maru's sinking of the the whale-protection boat Ady Gil, threatening the lives of six crew members, is not mentioned,'' Senator Brown said.

``Tokyo has taken over Australia's Antarctic seas and whales and now it controls events in Hobart.''

An AFP spokesman confirmed that it conducted a search warrant on board the Steve Irwin as a result of a formal referral from Japanese authorities."

Australian Federal Police raid anti-whaling ship after Japanese complaint

AFP search second anti-whaling boat

Just a few Updates of the Ady Gil situation, from a few world wide sources:

Bob Barker Back Anti-Whaling Push Despite Crash - New York Times

Ram Raid on High Seas - The Herald Sun

Activists and Whalers trade accusations over boat collision off Antarctica - Chicago Tribune

and Animal Planet's statement.

I love it when they pull shit like this! XD

The Sea Shepherd crew leave Australia today to head down to the Southern Whale Sanctuary to head off the Japanese whalers over the next few months. Best wishes to the crew of the Steve Irwin and the Ady Gil, stay safe, we can't wait to have you home again.

There is so much pretty going on in fandom right now! These are all from pics I have collected over the last few days. The RDA ones are from a Sea Shepherd event from the 17th (originals at rdanderson.com), Shanks behind the scenes of Sanctuary, Helen Magnus promo shots from Amanda Tapping's website, and the NCIS cast mucking around which I've seen posted all over news sites and LJ.






Resource credit to: yunhe , nivani , jordannamorgan , iconraven , me_chinny , miggy , rhcp_csi , vintagesol , overevery , jellycapsule , innocent_lexys , antonini , cla22ire , nokitas , generosa , lore_85 , izachin & cielo_gris .

I need some cheering up. Just watched the season 2 finale of Burn Notice - why the hell didn't anyone give that man an Emmy nom?!?!?! Michael/Victor Cuba fic? Anything???

I have been sitting on this for the better part of 2 weeks now, but I think today is an excellent day to spread the news that the European Union has finally placed an import ban on all Canadian seal products. It was announced officially today after the European parliament voted in Strasbourg, 550 to 49. This is practically the final nail in the coffin for the seal hunt.

I know I've been fairly quiet regarding my usual ranting and wailing regarding the hunt (and damn, I've taken my blows for it too), but we knew this was coming this year - economically, it has just gotten to the point where even the sealers aren't bothering to go out and kill the seals, because the money for the pelts does not cover their expenses. One can only hope the Canadian government might want to think ahead instead of wallowing in the mistaken self righteousness of archaic and barbaric practices, and educate these fisherman, so that they like the seals can have a better future.

I am also incredibly humbled to have participated in 3 of these campaigns in the last 4 years with some of the most amazing people in the world. Rebecca Aldworth is a goddess, she had been at the forefront of the anti-sealing movement for the last 11 years with the Humane Society, her contributions are without doubt one of the biggest reasons why we are where we are today. Captain Paul Watson from Sea Shepherd who is one of the most thoughtful, yet scariest mofos I have ever met. He's been involved since the 70's in a more hands on approach, witnessing the slaughter, documenting and collecting evidence of the inhumane practices, and generally being a pest to the Canadian government, until they finally confiscated his ship illegally last year. And lastly, Diana Marmorstein and everyone at Harpseals.org who are continuing to run the Canadian seafood boycott with HSUS/HSI and monitoring the situation with the WTO below.

This news doesn't spell the end of the issue at hand, Canada is threatening legal action against the EU and are planning to take their case to the World Trade Organisation, and seal pelts can still be sold to Russia, Norway and China, because they do not come under the EU.

More info here, here, here & here.

Just a few updates as to the Japanese whaling in our Australian whale sanctuary/Australian Antarctic territory:

Dec 19th - The Japanese whaling ship The Yushin Maru #2 found by Sea Shepherd's ship Steve Irwin inside the Australian economic exclusion zone in contempt of The Humane Society's Australian federal court order prohibiting whaling in Australian waters.

Jan 4th - The Japanese government calls on the Australian government to ban the Steve Irwin from docking in an Australian port for refueling. Environment minister Peter Garrett takes the request into consideration, despite there being no illegal act committed by SSCS or the Steve Irwin. Greens senator Bob Brown convinces acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard to back down and allow Sea Shepherd entrance, securing a dock in Hobart.

Jan 5th - Hajime Shirasaki of the Kyoshin Maru #2 goes missing in the middle of the night. Japanese media report this as a suicide. Capt. Paul Watson offers assistance and ceases to engage the whaling fleet to help find the body. The Japanese refuse. *footage* (right click and save).

Jan 15th - After damaging it's propeller in ice packs on Dec 20th, the Yushin Maru #2 travells to Indonesia for repairs. (Australian and New Zealand ports are closed to Japanese whaling ships.) Protests are held by Jakarta Animal Aid and support given from Senator Bob Brown of the Australian Greens party, Peter Tagliaferri, the mayor of Fremantle, Ian Cambell, ex environment minister, The Earth Island Institute, The Indonesian Forestry Department, HSI and SSCS, which result in the harpoon ship being ordered out of the Port of Surabaya in East Java.

It is also one year to the day since the Humane Society International won an Australian federal court ruling against the Japanese whaling company Kyodo Senpaku Ltd that prohibits them from killing whales in Australian waters.

Jan 17th - The Steve Irwin will arrive in Hobart at midday for refueling.

Sorry there are no pretty pictures of slaughtered whales, Greenpeace didn't show up to take them.

One of the small blessing that came with the change of government last month, was that I no longer had to write letters, all of which were ignored and unanswered, to Phillip Ruddock in regard to the Japanese whaling activities in our waters.

Now I'm as sceptical as the next person about the promises made by politicians during an election, but one of the big promises that stood out for me because of the amount of support it received, was Labor's promise to enforce international law and escort the whalers out of our waters. Now, Rudd says he's 'thinking about it'.

Please, I know this topic doesn't get alot of coverage in the media, but you just have to look at the polling stats to see that Labor only got in because of the Greens preference vote. And people voted for the greens because they wanted change with regard to the environment and protecting our whales is second only to climate change.

The Japanese plan to kill 50 humpback whales (and 1000 Minke) and have even alluded to targeting Migaloo. This is absolutely insane. There are only 2000 humpbacks in the South Pacific.

However the government is going to go about stopping the hunt (the details of which and the Humane Society's high court injunction result will be available next week) something definitely needs to be done.

I can't help but be in awe of the efforts of the Humane Society and their various letter campaigns of which I have taken part, and the high court injunction which I have been following closely, and those of Sea Shepherd who once again are preparing to track and intervene against the actions of the whaling fleet with the Steve Irwin (formerly Robert Hunter) for Operation Migaloo.