United Kingdom Kills Seals
The Shetland fisherman who clubbed 21 grey seal pups to death in November 2007 has been jailed for 80 days under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.
He pleaded guilty to killing 21 seal pups on the Shetland Isle of East Lingaa.
We are happy with the sheriffs decision and the courts sentence. It has helped to acknowledge the cruelty and severity of the offence.
Sadly with the law as it stands 'The Conservation of Seals Act' unbelievably allows seals to be killed by shooting. Most of the Shetlanders were appalled by the horrific blundering to death of 21 grey seal pups by a fellow Islander James Stuart.
GreenEcoPeace are putting pressure on the Scottish government to stop the killing of seals so they can enjoy the same protection as whales and dolphins. We want a ban on shooting seals.
No commercial interest can justify inflicting suffering on the beautiful mammals. They are our seals and they are being killed in the UK.
The Scottish government has released highly misleading press releases, trying to bluff their way through by saying, that other marine mammals are to blame for seal population decline.
GreenEcoPeace are very concerned about the serious decline in the numbers of the Common Seals.
The Scottish government press release claims, "It is already clear that shooting and disease do not explain the significant reductions reported. It is considered that predation by Killer Whales is a factor round the Northern Isles, whilst competition for food supplies with the larger and more numerous Grey seals is likely to be a significant factor across Scotland as a hole.
This statement is very misleading the special SCOS report does not mention Killer Whales or it doesn't show any evidence of any competition with the Grey Seals. it does not say that it is 'clear' that shooting and disease do not explain the reductions. The SCOS report notes that investigating the rapid widespread decline of common populations around the UK is a very urgent research priority.
The Scottish government dismisses shooting and say's that there are just two possibilities that may explain the decline in Common Harbour Seals.
1. Predation by Killer Whales
2. Competition with Grey seals.
We do not believe the above, we feel that the Scottish government is just bluffing its way through. There is over whelming public support for greater protection for seals.
When a seal is shot more often than not the seal is wounded and suffers a lingering death and when the seal eventually dies from its wound or is shot and killed the orphaned pups will probably starve and die an agonizing death.
The Scottish government can only have a political motive for presenting data on seals in this damming misleading way.
Some fishermen and fish farmers shoot seals because they eat fish. A seal swimming close to a fish farm, in a salmon river or near coastal nets is seen as a competitor for fish.
There is no legal requirement for good marksmanship when shooting a seal, so there is a high risk of wounding which can lead to prolonged suffering.
Populations of common seals have declined dramatically - by around 40 per cent - in some parts of Scotland over the last 5 years.
Incredibly, no-one knows how many seals are being killed - because there is no requirement for seal killings to be recorded.
We need a new law that will change the present seal killing culture.
Climate Change May Be A Battle Lost Unless
Climate Change may be a battle lost unless we change.
The clearing of millions of years old Rainforests (mostly illegal loggers controlled by fat cats), is very serious.
The burning of Rainforests releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and we must remember that we need tree's to absorb carbon dioxide.
Temperatures are definitely on the increase and global emissions are rising. The loss of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic is now worse than first feared.
UN climate change summit conference will take place in Copenhagen on 7th to 18th December 2009.
The future of the worlds climate depends so much on this conference, most of the world leaders will attend this conference, what they decide will set the root to low emissions and lower carbon economy and a safer world.
Marine Disaster Unfolds In Timor Sea
The West Atlas oil rig continues to leak crude oil into the ocean off the coast of Australia following a rupture nine weeks ago. Julian Rush reports.
It is thought the West Atlas oil platform leak could be a lot worse than originally thought.
Millions of litres have now escaped into the Timor Sea and already the long-term damage is being compared to the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989.
The rupture occurred on 21 August, and the last three attempts to stop the flow from escaping have failed.
Rig operator PTTEP Australasia yesterday recovered a piece of what it believes to be casing from the damaged pipeline.
It claims the finding could indicate they are mere centimetres from their target.
There is grave concern that many whales, mammals and marine life may die because of this oil slick which has been going now for far too long.
Thanks to channel four news.
Toxic Tar Sands A Danger
Tar Sands are a form of Crude Oil, very heavy and thick.
The largest known is the Alberta in Canada and is the largest industrial project on the planet.
The Boreal Forest Destruction, Canada
Huge deposits of Tar Sands are found under the Boreal Forest. To get to these deposits everything on the surface is destroyed, leaving a wilderness forever.
Extracting and processing Tar Sand oil causes a huge amount of Green House Gases per barrel and devastates the Boreal Forest, which is home to such an array of wild life.
Toxic Tar Sand water lakes, along the Athabasca River, already covers approximately 130 square kilometres. Toxic sludge ponds can clearly be seen from outer space. Toxic ponds kill 1000's of wild life each year.
These toxic lakes are leaking at the rate of 11 million litres everyday. The toxics seep deep into the ground water, surrounding land and then it ends up back in the Athabasca River. The damage is irreversible.
Wild Life and Their Habitat Destruction
Some of the worlds largest population of wild life has been seriously affected and nothing is being done about it.
Nothing is being done to stop these toxic lakes and the agony the wild life is having to go through is unbelievable and the wild life often die a slow lingering death.
Production
Increased production is planned up to 2015, when there will be a staggering Tar Sands emissions of over 126 million tons a year. This is pushing towards a catastrophic climate change.
Who is Profiting
Companies from the United States, Abu Dhabi, South Korea, Norway, China and more countries, all owning massive area's of Alberta's, Canada. Tar Sands.
This indirectly will affect you and your children and their children!
The massive increase in carbon intensive unconventional oil, could be dangerous and may lead to uncontrolable climate change.
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details and accept the service to view the translations.