Time to rock the boat on Japanese whaling, report says. A new report has urged the Australian Government to take a whole new approach to stop Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean. [ABC News: Breaking Stories]
10:15:32 AM    

Stranded humpback whale may have to be euthanised. A juvenile humpback whale is stranded inside the Two Rocks harbour, north of Perth. [ABC News: Breaking Stories]
8:36:37 PM    

Environment Minister Peter Garrett has called on Iceland and Norway to respect the international global moratorium on commercial whaling.

The call follows reports Iceland is considering issuing commercial whaling quotas for 2008, on the back of Norway's recent decision to approve a quota.

"Whale protection requires binding rules that apply to all countries," Mr Garrett said in a statement.

[Source: SMH]
9:09:15 PM    

Sea Shepherd to set sail for whaling intervention. The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin will leave Melbourne for the Antarctica tonight, to follow the Japanese whaling fleet. [ABC News: Breaking Stories]
4:35:58 PM    

Japan has apparently agreed not to kill humpback whales during its current Antarctic hunt, the US ambassador to Tokyo says.

The move would help ease criticism of its controversial whaling program.

Japan's whaling fleet set sail last month with plans to catch more than 1,000 whales, including 50 humpbacks, which are popular among whale watchers for their distinctive silhouettes and acrobatic leaps, before returning to port early next year.

[Source: ABC News]
9:40:01 PM    

The Money Times reports:

The U.S. navy has some cause to smile now, after a federal court of appeals overturned an earlier stay on its use of high-powered sonar in training exercises off the Southern California coast. Though temporary, the reprieve is being welcomed by officials in the Navy.

The high energy sonar is used to track down enemy submarines in a conflict situation, and the efficacy of this method can now be determined. Earlier, a Los Angeles court had ruled such sonar use invalid, as it posed grave environmental risks.

Earlier, scientists have found links between the use of high powered sonar and whale deaths. Studies have indicated even mid-frequency sonar can cause whales to be stranded and display panicky behavior.

The decision to allow the navy to proceed with its use of high powered sonar came after a panel of judges voted 2-1 for it. The earlier decision preventing the use of such sonar was handed down by U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper keeping in mind the environmental aspect.

Link:

Navy Allowed t use Sonar
12:53:22 PM    

THE United States navy has been banned from using a type of sonar that wildlife supporters say harms whales.

The injunction issued by a federal court outlaws use of the sonars in exercises off the California coast.

It is a victory for environmental group Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), which filed a lawsuit in March claiming the navy did not do enough environmental testing of the equipment.
5:35:49 PM