We are currently focusing on the following key areas to help save whales and dolphins.
CREATE HEALTHY SEAS
PREVENT BYCATCH
END CAPTIVITY
STOP WHALING
CREATE HEALTHY SEAS
Goal: To protect whales and dolphins by protecting the places where they live.
A few of our successes in recent years:
- We successfully petitioned the US government to increase federally designated critical habitat for endangered North Atlantic right whales, now covering near 40,000 sq. miles
- We successfully lobbied the Scottish government to double the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) for whales and dolphins
- We helped Australia create the largest ever network of MPAs
Some areas we are currently working on:
- Expanding federally designated critical habitat in the US for endangered Southern Resident orcas
- Designing and implementing Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in international waters
- Persuading the New Zealand government to increase protection for endangered Maui and Hector's dolphins
PREVENT BYCATCH - STOP DEATHS IN FISHING GEAR
Goal: To reduce the number of whale and dolphins accidentally killed and injured through entanglement in fishing gear.
A few of our successes in recent years:
- We reduced the number of harbor porpoise deaths in gillnets through the use of acoustic pingers
- We helped to implement a rule to require sinking groundline in most trap-pot fisheries along the US East coast
- We trained boaters to locate and report entangled whales to trained and permitted disentanglement teams
Some areas we are currently working on:
- Working as part of a collaborative group to test fixed fishing gear which does not use vertical/buoy lines
- Reducing whale entanglements along the East and West coasts of the US
- Increasing our boater outreach programs to train more vessel operators to spot and report entangled whales
END CAPTIVITY
Goal: To reduce the number of individuals held in captivity and to develop sanctuaries, or release programs, for those who are held.
A few of our successes in recent years:
- We campaigned for travel agencies to stop selling trips to SeaWorld and other aquaria. This lead to Richard Branson's Virgin Group to pledge for all aquaria to stop imports of wild caught whales and dolphins.
- We blocked the import of beluga whales to US aquaria.
- We persuaded 40 major airlines NOT to transport dolphins caught in Japanese dolphin hunts.
Some areas we are currently working on:
- Opening sanctuaries and exploring opportunities to return previously captive dolphins to the wild, including the first beluga whale sanctuary in 2019.
- Phasing out dolphin captivity in Germany
- Persuading tour operators to break links with the captivity industry
STOP WHALING
Goal: To reduce the number of countries whaling and the numbers of whales killed.
A few of our successes in recent years:
- We stopped an illegal export of whale meat from Iceland to Japan.
- We worked to keep the commercial whaling moratorium in place.
- We stopped the illegal trade of whale meat sold in Germany and Denmark.
Some areas we are currently working on:
- Changing whaling culture in Iceland and the Faroe Islands as we work to reduce the consumption of whale meat.
- Continuing to build international, political, legal and economic pressure to end Japan’s whaling program.
- Continuing to work through international treaties including the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to ensure the moratorium on commercial whaling remains in place.
Make a difference
Join our team - no matter which way you choose, your commitment helps whales, dolphins, and our shared planet.
Save the whales, save the world.
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