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Lasting legacies

Lasting Legacies: Orca Action Month 2023

Each June we celebrate Orca Month and the unique community of Southern Resident orcas, and this...
North Atlantic right whale - Peter Flood

Whale AID 2023: A Night of Music and Hope for North Atlantic Right Whales

The inaugural Whale AID concert to support Whale and Dolphin Conservation's (WDC's) work to protect...
IMG_6030

Meet the 2023 Interns: Thomas Zoutis

I'm happy to introduce WDC's first Marine Mammal Conservation Intern of the year, Thomas Zoutis!...
MicrosoftTeams-image (9)

Double Your Impact for Marine Animal Rescue & Response

On a chilly day this past December, the WDC North America team celebrated the first...
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WDC’s Education Wishlist = Cleared!

To the WDC Community, I want to thank you so much for your support of...
Hysazu Photography

Looking forward for Southern Resident orcas in 2023

Hysazu Photography 2022 was a big year for Southern Resident orcas - 2022 brought the...
Credit: Seacoast Science Center

The Unlikely Adventure of Shoebert, a Young Grey Seal Who Visited an Industrial Park Pond

Credit: Seacoast Science Center In mid-September, our stranding partners in northern Massachusetts were inundated with...
Leaping harbour porpoise

The power of harbour porpoise poo

We know we need to save the whale to save the world. Now we are...

Which way will the EU vote on whaling?

WDCS has been involved in an ongoing debate with the European Commission EU about the role of Denmark and its influence in defining the EU’s collective position at the IWC.

In the past, EU Member States who have been members of the IWC have always been free to establish their opwn position at the IWC as long as that position is at least equal to, and possibly stronger than EU law. No EU state can take a position that is weaker than existing EU law. For example, no EU Member State can vote for commercial whaling in any guise. However, Denmark has consistently used the excuse of having to support its overseas territories of Greenland and Denmark to avoid voting with the EU and indeed, even to vote for commercial whaling.

Recently the situation has become complicated because the EU Commission, despite the wishes of the Member States, has insisted that the EU all vote unanimously or not at all. The result; Denmark votes as it sees fit and the other Member States are forced to abstain on crucial votes.

WDCS has once again challenged the EU Commission to break out of this stalemate that is inhibiting the EU Members from pursuing their legal duties to uphold EU law. We shall see what happens in the coming days.