|
 |
|
Now a bit safer than before.© NOAA |
On September 11, in an historic event for whales and dolphins who live off of the coast of Chile, the Chilean congress unanimously approved legislation championed by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to ban all whaling activities in Chilean waters and to create a marine sanctuary.
On the Right Path
| Update: Whale Sanctuary Official |
|
In an official ceremony on October 15, 2008, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet declared Chile a Whaling Free Zone, stating, "Today, Chile takes an important step in the conservation of nature and without any doubt, this is a significant legacy for the future generations.” |
President Bachelet announced her intention to send draft legislations to Parliament on this issue back in May, declaring Chile’s opposition to the supposed “research whaling” conducted by Japan. In a move that conservation groups have called President Bachelet’s greatest environmental legacy, marine life in Chile’s waters will now be protected in a way they never have been before.
Chile was a whaling nation before the International Whaling Commission (IWC) placed a moratorium on the commercial killing of whales in 1986. Since then, Chilean citizens have found other work to substitute incomes brought in from whaling and the country now supports whale protection. This is in direct contrast to how Japan responded to the moratorium by taking advantage of a loophole that allows limited whaling for research purposes. Through this loophole, Japan has an excuse to continue killing whales through their so-called scientific whaling program.
Signs of Progress
| Tell Iceland to Stop Whaling |
|
In May 2008, Iceland announced that it would begin whaling once again. Tell Iceland's fisheries minister that such brutal activity stains the country's reputation and must stop. |
With more than 6400 kilometers of coastline, Chile has extraordinary marine biodiversity, including half of the world’s cetacean species, including a species unique to these waters, the Chilean or black dolphin. In recent years, there has been encouraging evidence of recovering humpback whale populations in the Straits of Magellan, and the magnificent discovery of the blue whale nursery in the Gulf of Corcovado. Through their new marine sanctuary, Chileans have embraced responsibility for protecting their country’s biodiversity, and will hopefully inspire other countries to do the same.
In the next few weeks, the Executive branch of the Chilean congress is expected to announce the legislation as a Law of the Republic.
