Press Release

2 May 2007

Safe Journey – let the humpback live

Auckland’s Pacific community is staging a rally, Saturday, May 12, in Manukau Square, Manukau City, to protest against Japanese plans to hunt up to 50 humpback whales, starting this year (or next summer).

The protest rally will feature Maori and Pacific community heroes, leaders and performers including Rawiri Paratene, P Money, Kila Kokonut Krew, Lil Saints, Wiremu Hohaia, Keshia, Jigsaw, the MaiFM crew and guests.

Co-organiser, Tongan Advisory Council chair Melino Maka says it’s vital the whole of Auckland makes a loud noise about plans to kill South Pacific humpbacks for ‘scientific research’, as these whales are essential to tourism businesses in New Zealand and throughout the Pacific.

“This protest isn’t anti-Japanese. It’s about saving one of the few economic lifelines Pacific nations have – tourism. Humpbacks play a major part in many of our economies, culture and traditions. What happens to us if Japanese ‘research whaling’ fleets wipe out this very vulnerable species?” says Mr Maka.

Humpbacks feed in the food-rich waters of the Antarctic and are seen around New Zealand coasts as they journey to their mating and breeding grounds in the warm waters of Australia and the Pacific.

According to the latest International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) research whale watching in New Zealand is worth $120 million a year and is one of the our fastest growing businesses. In the last 10 years, whale watching has become a boom industry across the South Pacific, earning $21 million a year.

In Tonga, each humpback contributes during its lifetime around US $1 million to the country’s economy. There are developing whale watching industries in Samoa, Niue, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Fiji. These humpback populations are small and any hunting will put them in serious jeopardy. If they die, this economic lifeline for Pacific nations dies with them.

Although commercial whaling was banned in 1986, the Japanese whaling fleet travels to the protected waters of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary each year to hunt whales for their “scientific research” programme. This summer, for the first time, they will target endangered humpback whales, along with their annual killing of up to 935 minke and 50 endangered fin whales.

Aucklanders can support this protest by:

• going online www.maifm.co.nz or www.tonganz.org and sending an e-letter to the Japanese Ambassador in Wellington. A copy will also be sent to Minister of Conservation Hon. Chris Carter
• coming to the community protest rally, Safe Journey – let the humpback live, May 12, Manukau Square, Manukau City, 12-2pm.

A delegation of community leaders intend to travel to Wellington the week following the rally to present the Japanese Ambassador with a diplomatic letter of protest and share their concerns about the consequences for New Zealand and Pacific tourism if Japanese whaling fleets carry out their plan to hunt humpbacks.

Safe Journey – let the humpback live is one of several events taking place around New Zealand, Australia and Tonga on May 12 to promote the protection of whales.

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