Youths who Killed 65 Seals Receive No Jail Time

On January 27, 2013, three youths from Prince Edward Island, Canada, killed 65 seals who were resting on the shore on the Eastern end of the Island. Veterinarians from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown confirmed the seals died from blunt force trauma to the head and that not all of them died immediately. A necropsy concluded that 10 seal pups had severely fractured skulls. 



Only when a reward was offered, did a member of the local community name the perpetrators. The 15 and 17-year-olds who could not be identified because of their age and 18-year-old Colton Clements, admitted to using a hockey stick, a club and a clam hack to kill the seals. They disposed of the club and clam hack and burned the hockey stick.



The court heard that it was the 15-year-old who came up with the idea and that he killed the majority of the seals while the other two went along with the plan. The youngest offender said “seals are like mice in your cupboards”. He did not seem to understand why people were so upset. The 17-year-old, the only one of the three who had been drinking at the time of the incident, killed 2 seals and stopped because he “felt bad for the seals.”  He said, “I knew it was wrong and I wish I had not done it.” The 18-year-old killed 5 seals and stopped, but made no attempt to prevent the 15-year-old from bludgeoning the rest of the seals.
 

They were all sentenced today in Georgetown in front of Judge Nancy Orr. The two juveniles received fines, two years of probation, 200 hours of community service, and because they enjoy hunting and fishing, they will not be allowed to do these activities for two years.
 

The 18-year-old was given a similar sentence, but a slightly larger fine even though he could have received up to five years in jail. In making her ruling, Judge Orr said the maximum sentence was for the worst offenses with the worst facts and for the worst offenders. She said “the facts are bad, but this is not the worst offender” because this young man had no prior history of violence and had not been in trouble of any kind. 
 

Undoubtedly, Judge Orr will come under criticism for her decisions, but she is restricted in terms of how she can punish youthful offenders. Colton Clements was one month past his 18th birthday and just three months older than the 17-year-old. Judge Orr said she would not make him the “sacrificial lamb” so she opted to punish him in a similar fashion as she did the other two perpetrators.
 

A letter of support for the three youths suggested, “they were undoubtedly influenced by the low opinion of seals in a tight fishing community.”  Online comments expressed outrage, but those in the local community seemed to support these young men and perhaps even their motives.



Seals are blamed for the decline in cod stocks even though seals prey upon the predators of cod. The death of seals in this region is routine, as seal hunters venture onto the ice each spring to kills baby seals despite the fact that there is no market for Canadian seal products.



This is not the first time that Georgetown, population 693, has experienced a collision of sentiments between those who kill seals and those who defend these marine mammals. In 2008, violence erupted on the dock as locals cut the dock lines of the Sea Shepherd Conversation Society’s vessel, the Farley Mowat.
 

It takes a community to raise a child, and it was this community that raised the three who committed horrific acts of violence against a herd of seals. Violence against animals is often a precursor to violence against people and these young men need professional help. The lens through which they view the world is flawed.



If there is a miniscule ray of hope in this land of love for seal killers, it is that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans investigated, charges were made, and there were convictions even though the punishment was minimal. At least the killing of these seals was deemed a crime, unlike the senseless slaughter than happens every year in Canada in the name of tradition and commerce.
 

For the Oceans,

 

Janice

 

 

Grey Seal
 

 

 

Dolphin Day and the Hope for the Future

Activists often have different views regarding how to achieve their goals. A variety of approaches can be effective and I enjoy dialogue with ocean activists who take a gentle approach as well as those who actively intervene in illegal activities. Although it might not be everyone’s primary approach, few could argue that education is crucial.

The adults who are alive today have done more to destroy the oceans than all other generations combined so it only makes sense that we should take responsibility to clean up and protect the oceans. There is only 10% of the life in the oceans that there was 50 years ago. Many species are extinct and others are under threat from unsustainable fishing methods, pollution, greed, and ignorance.

September 1^st was International Dolphin Day and there were events held in over 40 cities around the world that drew attention to the plight of the dolphins that are ruthlessly slaughtered in Taiji, Japan. I have witnessed the slaughter and it is totally abominable that this sort of atrocity can happened in Japan in 2011.   

It was great to see so many young people involved in rallies on September 1^st. One such child was 12 year old Alexandra from New Zealand. Young people like Alexander have a heavy burden to carry. A great deal of damage has been done and those who have performed acts of ocean genocide are unlikely to be part of the solution. The children are our future and we need to encourage Alexandra because our only hope to save the dolphins and the oceans might our children.

Attending the event caused Alexandra to miss a day of school. I don’t wish to minimize the importance of formal education, but should not conservation be one of the most important subjects?  Alexandra’s teacher told her that her absence could be considered truancy and this position was also supported by other teachers. Some children were allowed to mock Alexandra because she was doing that “dolphin stuff”.  

When used as a noun the word “truant” can mean “a person who neglects his or her duties” or “a lazy, idle person”. Perhaps the teachers need educating because it is not Alexandra or her young peers who have neglected their duties, but rather it was the previous generation. Words are powerful and it is unfair to use a word that means “lazy” or “idle” when referring to one so young who is prepared to take a stand.

I can assure you that the only thing stupid about that “dolphin stuff’ is that on a daily basis, highly sentient dolphins who migrate past Taiji, Japan are forced into a cove and die a horrific and painful death. Those who are not killed are sold into a life of slavery at a theme park, but most end up on Japanese tables and become a toxic, mercury laden meal.

To the Alexandra’s of the world….thank you. Please don’t be discouraged by your ignorant elders, but also be patient with them because despite your age, you are the teacher, and those who call you a truant are your students.  

For the Oceans,

Janice

Janice Oceans (on Facebook)

@janice_oceans (on Twitter)


Dolphin Day September 1, 2011 - photo by Kerry O'Brien




Alexandra at Dolphin Day in Auckland - photo by Kerry O'Brien

Zepher at Dolphin Day in Seattle - photo by Mike Lorden



Taiji, Japan, and the Global Community

The world was shocked and saddened by the earthquake, tsunami, and the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan. Many people in Japan are bravely suffering through what is probably the most traumatic experience of their lives.

People ask me if the current situation in Japan will impact my activist activities. It might change the strategy, but not the goals and objectives. I will continue to oppose anyone from any country who kills whales or dolphins. The current situation in Japan does not grant them any latitude.

The whaling industry is having serious financial problems and it is unlikely it will receive a cash injection when there are so many cities and towns that need to be rebuilt. And what about Taiji?  There is no question that Taiji continues to be a public relations disaster. The actions of a few have tarnished the reputation of the nation and this has impacted the willingness of some to donate to Japanese relief agencies, but fortunately individuals as well as nations have joined in the effort. They made this choice because it was the right thing to do.

We share the same values of family and community as do the citizens of Japan. But what about the issues where we differ?  Japan views whales and dolphins as resources that can be harvested, bought, sold, and eaten. This separates the Japanese from those who are trying to help this nation in crisis.

What is to become of this divide?  Will the current crisis in Japan widened the gap or will it bring us closer together? I hope Japan will join the rest of the world; a world with an appreciation for biodiversity and a world of global citizens who are intrinsically linked by the oceans we share and protect.

In my blog, “New Year’s Predictions for Taiji”, I wrote “Eventually Japan will have no choice but to stop issuing permits to kill small cetaceans. The international opposition to the dolphin slaughter in Taiji continues to grow and Japan cannot financially afford to isolate itself from the world by legally permitting acts that are considered criminal is most other countries.”   I stand by my prediction.

The countries who kill whales and dolphins are Japan, Iceland, Norway, and the Faeroe Islands of Denmark so that means the vast majority of the countries in the world oppose Japan’s commercial whaling activities and the dolphin slaughter, but in response to our complaints, they call us racists.  Will it now be harder for Japan to play the “racist card”? Are all those people from all around the world who are donating money to help rebuild Japan “racists”?  This defense was always pathetic, but now it will also be insulting.   

For the Oceans,

Janice

Educating People about the Oceans in 60 Seconds

Many years ago, I attended a session that focused on how to make business connections.  We were told to develop an “elevator speech” that described who we were and what we did and to be able to deliver that message during a period equivalent to the time it takes an elevator to travel 10 floors with one stop.   It takes practise, but it is possible to pack a lot of information in 4 or 5 sentences.     

I recently went on a vacation in the Caribbean.  Shortly after our arrival, we had the opportunity to attend an information session to learn about the various activities in the area. One of the options was a dolphin prison.

Of course, I spoke up. It is very easy to explain over dinner, when you have a couple of hours, why dolphin captivity is wrong, but my challenge was to quickly and succinctly convey the message in just a few sentences. It was time for my best elevator speech.

As a professional speaker and trainer, I always try to find out as much as possible about the audience, but if little information is available, I rely on a few key principles when selecting content.   Using these principles when creating an “elevator speech” can help deliver a powerful, timely message.

Often people need facts. Put at least one fact in your communication.  Some people dismiss messages that don’t have some sort of fact or properly referenced statistic.

Sometimes people need something upon which they can reflect because they need to come to their own conclusions.  For example, “Dolphins and whales are highly sentient beings and live in complex social structures.  How do you think the dolphins feel when they are torn away from their families and forced to live in a tiny pool instead of enjoying a vast ocean?”

Be memorable.   Paint a picture that leaves the listener with a clear image that is powerful visually or emotionally engaging.   Use one of your sentences to describe something you have seen or experienced and tell people how it made you feel.

There should be a call to action.   Ask people to not attend any attraction with captive whales or dolphins, recommend a website, or give them a few keywords they can Google.   

If you give this some thought, you might find that one sentence can satisfy more than one of the key components of your elevator speech.  Have a few different versions and practice with your friends, but don’t memorize your speech.

The same content does not work for everyone.  A person who requires facts will not be impressed if 4 of your 5 sentences are a call to action, nor will the person who is ready to act be interested in detailed statistics, but if you include different kinds of content, you are more likely to have one or more of your points achieve the desired result.

It would be wonderful if every time we tried to discuss our causes, the other person gave us an hour of their time, but those opportunities are infrequent. A powerful “elevator speech” could potentially be used several times per day.  In 30 – 60 seconds, we won’t create a new activist, but if we are prepared, we can make progress and we will probably have said something that resonates with the listener.

You can create a powerful elevator speech if you include:

·         at least one fact,

·         something upon which your listeners can reflect,

·         a description of a memorable image,

·         something that is actionable, and finally,

·         ask a question and try to turn your elevator speech into a dialogue.

As activists, our window of opportunity to impact our listeners can be very limited so we need to be prepared.

For the Oceans,

Janice

Slaughters in Taiji, Japan and Newfoundland, Canada are Similar

Today Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Gail Shea, announced plans to sell seal products to China. The sealing industry in Canada has been crippled by the EU ban on the import of seal products, but today’s announcement could renew the wide scale slaughter of seals off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Taiji, Japan, and the Province of Newfoundland have some frightening similarities. Both kill a marine species, despite enormous international pressure to end the slaughters. 

The North Atlantic cod fishery was mismanaged and overfishing destroyed the cod stocks, but government officials often blame the seals for the collapse of the cod fishery.  The dolphin killers in Taiji believe they are performing a public service by killing dolphins because dolphins are a pest. There is no scientific evidence that any appreciable decline of fish stocks can be attributed to seals or dolphins, but who needs science when people believe anything they are told by their government.

Japan maintains there are plenty of dolphins and Canada claims to have too many seals.  Japan issues permits to kill dolphins based on out-dated population surveys and Canada fails to report or acknowledge that thousands of baby seals drown because there is not enough ice to serve as a birthing ground and nursery.  As climate change worsens, the lack of ice is certain to threaten the seals' survival.

Canada and Japan justify their barbaric acts with the excuse that it is their tradition. Many crimes against humanity and the environment have been committed in the name of tradition, but people in civilized societies move forward and don’t cling to destructive and unethical practices.

Politicians in both countries don’t seem to care that a single industry, if we can call it that, damages the reputation of their country.  In both nations, a very small number of people benefit financially, but citizens are reluctant to express their opposition.  Most Japanese do not eat whale meat and very few have ever eaten dolphin, but it would be considered unpatriotic for Japanese citizens to speak out against the dolphin slaughter.  I don’t personally know anyone who has eaten seal meat, but Canadians, especially those living on the east coast, are reluctant to voice their objection to the seal hunt.  

When I was in Taiji, we exercised caution because there was concern for our safety, but to my knowledge, the killers of Taiji have not injured any activists or damaged property. The police and coast guard have worked hard to keep the peace in Taiji and to ensure the safety of the activists.  In Canada, there have been occasions when the coast guard and police have behaved as if they were the sealers’ private security force and they stood by while property was destroyed and people were injured. Taiji comes out ahead when we compare the relative performance of the police and coast guard.

While Canadian farmers struggle to survive, fisherman, especially the sealers, are heavily subsidized. I do not know if the dolphin slaughter in Taiji is government funded, but the tax payers of Japan fund the whale poachers in the Southern Ocean as they target protected Minke whales, endangered fin whales, and highly endangered humpback whales in an internationally recognized whale sanctuary, in violation of the moratorium on commercial whaling, and in contempt of the Antarctic Treaty.

When I speak with Canadians about the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, they are horrified, but sadly, Canada has a shameful record and it would appear Fisheries Minister Gail Shea plans to match the disgraceful history with an equally appalling future.

For the Oceans,

Janice

Misty the Dolphin

Sometimes one person or one image is timeless and will forever represent a historical moment or cause.

The image of the war in Viet Nam that is indelibly etched in my memory is that of a naked child running down a road after she was burned by napalm.  What I now know is that her name was Kim Phúc.   The Pulitzer Prize winning photo was taken in 1963 near Trang Bang, South Vietnam when she was 9 years old, but those are details.  It is the image that will be remembered forever.

Sometimes an event will be as clear today as it was decades ago. During a rehearsal in Toronto, one of the actors arrived with the sad news that Terry Fox had died. I remember the moment as if it were yesterday.  We all thought that with his strength and determination, Terry could beat cancer. Terry Fox will always be a symbol of courage and he is a powerful force in the fight against cancer.

Michael J. Fox put a face to Parkinson’s disease and Christopher Reeve’s tragic accident created awareness of spinal cord injuries and raised millions for the cause.

Thousands of dolphins have been brutally murdered in Taiji and others are sold into captivity, but Taiji’s dolphins are nameless and faceless. Now there is Misty.

We have learned that Misty is male, not female as was initially presumed.  The trainers at the Dolphin Base in Taiji might have a name for him and perhaps his dolphin family had a name for him, but the world will only know him as Misty.

He was separated from the other dolphins because he was sick. Misty floats listlessly in a shallow pool overrun by algae and he clings to the only thing that has not been taken away from him.    This dolphin with the yellow float in his mouth has become an iconic image and the symbol of everything that is evil in Taiji; the dolphin slaughter and sale of live dolphins to aquariums.  

Sometimes there are good news stories.   Kim Phúc, is now an author and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. She is a Canadian citizen and is married with two children. Michael J. Fox lives a very full life and he is a self-proclaimed eternal optimist.

Perhaps it will not be the horrific images of death and brutality that will put an end to the Taiji dolphin slaughter.  I hope the only final image the world needs to shut down the Killers of Taiji and the Dolphin Base is that of this sick, lonely dolphin with the yellow object in his mouth.

For the Oceans,

Janice

Misty the Dolphin  - photo by Andy Romanowski

Please insist on better living conditions for Misty.  Email the Dolphin Base, info@dolphinbase.co.jp, or from the Unites States or Canada call 011-81-0735-59-3514.   As always, you can register your objection to the Taiji dolphin slaughter with the Japanese Embassy. Clear, polite messages carry the most weight.

Judgment Day

I was chastised by someone who told me I should not use the word “killer” in my blogs.  What exactly should I call those who perform heinous acts? Fishermen catch fish and dolphins are not fish so I really struggle with calling them fishermen.  The clients of the Cove Guardians are the dolphins and if they could speak, I am sure they would be fine with my use of the word “killer”.

I was also told that I probably don’t understand the “cultural intricacies”.   I have absolutely no respect for anyone who kills whales or dolphins and uses “culture” as an excuse.  Killing a dolphin is murder and I have no intention of calling it anything else.

Killing dolphins in Taiji started in the 1970s. The dolphin genocide is driven by greed and big business; not culture.  The killing would probably cease entirely if it were not for the captive dolphin trade and the captive dolphin trade is not “culture”.

Most people in Japan have never eaten whale and extremely few people eat dolphin.  One of my colleagues regularly talks with school children and they were shocked to learn that people in the next town kill dolphins and were horrified that they actually eat them.  Saying that people in Japan grew up eating dolphin would be the same as saying that everyone in Toronto and Montreal was raised on Polar Bear meat. 

People take pride in their culture.  They are willing to share it with others so that we can all understand their traditions, but the killers of Taiji have gone to great lengths to hide their monstrous acts.  

If anyone has any ideas regarding how to end the dolphin slaughter, by all means, come on over and give it a try.  Until you have spent time here, please don’t judge or criticize the strategies of those who are living with this horror on a daily basis.  We are hard enough on ourselves because we have not yet been able to stop the dolphin slaughter and we should not be judged from afar by those who do not understand the situation.

For the Oceans,          

Janice



Hiding the victims under a tarp



Taiji, Change Now!

Despite how repulsed we are by the ongoing dolphin slaughter in Taiji and the murder of approximately a dozen dolphins today, there are people who are willing to help the dolphin killers and the Town of Taiji.   There could be a marine park, dolphin watching tours, and other businesses that could transform Taiji from being the most hated place in Japan to being an attractive tourist destination.

Everyone loves a reformed criminal, but the offender must see the error of their ways, want to change, and ask for help. Taiji, please understand there are people who are prepared to help you.

Timing is everything.

After you have killed the last dolphin and your town is bankrupt, do you think anyone will be willing to assist? I highly doubt it.

When a mass murderer does not confess or repent until he is on his death bed, will there be compassion for this monster?  No. We will all say, “Rot in hell”.

For the Oceans,

Janice

Frightened Dolphins



I'm Watching for Banger Boats



Who is Behind the Killing?

A few days ago, a pod of striped dolphins split and some managed to elude the hunters.  I feared the dolphins would stay in the area to look for their family members.  Today we believe it was that same family that was reunited in death.

What was particularly horrifying was that one of the dolphins was probably only a couple of weeks old. Anyone who could kill a baby dolphin must be morally bankrupt, but who is behind the mass murder of dolphins in Taiji?

The killers of Taiji are unionized employees whose boats bear the Mitsubishi logo.  As angry as I am at the fishermen, I realize they are just pawns in a much larger game.

We have been trying to start a dialogue with the fishermen and an intermediary said that a few of them seemed open to the idea. Yesterday as some of them were leaving their boat, they had to walk past us. We opted to not antagonize them by taking pictures and as they passed I said “Hello”.  Most had their faces turned away, but one nodded to me; almost before he realized what he was doing.  One of the killers of Taiji politely acknowledged a Cove Guardian!

We heard a rumour that the Mayor of Taiji told the fishermen they were not to meet with the Cove Guardians. What would the killers’ reaction be if they knew how much money others were making because of their heinous acts?

Big business and the Mayor of Taiji would prefer the fishermen remain ignorant and think a dolphin is just a big fish and that killing dolphins is ridding the ocean of pests.

For the Oceans,

Janice 




After the Kill  - photo by Libby Miller Katsinis

 

Hello Japanese Readers

I can see from my blog statistics that during the past 24 hours, more people from Japan read my blog than in all other countries combined.  Since I am getting some attention from the Japanese public, I would like to speak to the Japanese people today.

The Cove Guardians are not anti-Japanese, but we are opposed to anyone who kills whales and dolphins.  We know that many people in Japan do not support the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, but are afraid to express their opinion.  

As long as the slaughter continues, the reputation of Taiji and Japan will be tainted and millions of people around the world will want to punish you and will not buy Japanese products. By allowing the dolphin genocide to continue, Japan is isolating itself from the world.   The financial and social damage that is being done far outweighs the profits from the live dolphin trade and the dolphin slaughter.

My role as a Cove Guardian is to make people aware of what is happening in Taiji and to put pressure on Japan, but I cannot stop the slaughter. You, the Japanese people, are the only ones who can end this insanity.

Write letters to your government representatives and talk to the media.

Please join us at the Cove.   You will see that we are just normal people who love dolphins and have put our lives on hold to try to make a difference, but we need your help.   Please find your voice.

For the Oceans,

Janice