Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute accomplished landmark protections for whales, dolphins, and the ocean. Here is our list of 2020 accomplishments for whales and dolphins. Your support has been a key to these and many other successes, and we thank you for your donations and your generous help in 2020:
Plastics Lawsuit Filed: IMMP joined three Earth Island projects in filing a landmark lawsuit against ten major corporations, including Proctor and Gamble, Coca Cola Company, Nestle USA, and PEPSICO, to hold them responsible for their ocean plastic pollution that chokes and entangles marine mammals.
Home for Retired Whales: IMMP Executive Director, David Phillips, as a board member of the Whale Sanctuary Project, helped in site selection for the first sanctuary for belugas, orcas and cold-water dolphins in Nova Scotia. Dave offers expertise from IMMP’s success rehabbing and releasing Keiko, orca star of the hit movie Free Willy.
Iceland Whaling No Go: IMMP celebrated with other activists upon the news that Iceland skipped whaling again this year, the second summer in a row for that country to avoid killing whales. One of two Icelandic whaling companies permanently closed, leaving only one whaling company, which may or may not support killing whales again. Japan’s whaling industry is only killing whales in Japanese waters, having abandoned whaling in the Antarctic Ocean. Norway is now the whaling nation with the biggest kill.
Remote Audits for Tuna Companies: Due to the pandemic, our Dolphin Safe tuna monitors innovated remote monitoring of tuna canneries, vessels, and storage freezers, continuing our three-decade commitment to our Dolphin Safe program that prevents 90,000 dolphin deaths annually.
Ban on Breeding Captive Belugas: IMMP, with our coalition partners, influenced the US to ban Mystic Aquarium from breeding or using for entertainment five captive belugas it seeks to import. This is the first time EVER the government has restricted a captivity permit – a great stride towards phasing out captivity of cetaceans in the US.
Appeal to Get Orca Health Records: IMMP and our coalition partners filed an appeal to force the US National Marine Fisheries Service to release necropsy and health records for SeaWorld’s orcas who have died in captivity, including Tillikum, featured in the documentary Blackfish. This information is vital to our campaign to end captivity.
Russian Progress: IMMP continued work to permanently ban cetacean captures in Russia. We also supported our Russian friends (“Whale Jail” release activists) to attend disentanglement trainings in the US. They recently rescued 28 entangled fur seals off Sakhalin Island – a first for Russia. We’re training them to lead eco whale-watching trips in Russian waters.
Human Rights for Fisheries Observers: IMMP’s International Dolphin Safe Tuna Monitoring Program is working with the NGO Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) in seeking better protection for the rights of fishermen and safety for government observers, some of whom have disappeared and are presumed murdered while performing their observation of fisheries, noting violations of fishing laws. Fisheries observers help keep a check on the illegal killing of marine mammals and other endangered marine life. We anticipate incorporating human rights standards into our Dolphin Safe policies for tuna companies to follow.
Orca Hour: IMMP offered our first educational virtual event: “Orca Hour: From Free Willy to SeaWorld,” outlining our campaign to end the captivity of orcas and other dolphins in the US and worldwide.
With the end of 2020 in sight, we pause (for only a moment) to appreciate our accomplishments during this challenging and unsettling year. We hope you will join us in celebrating these accomplishments, which could not have been done without your support and donations. Please consider a donation to our efforts for whales and dolphins – fully tax deductible under IRS laws. Thank you, and we wish you and your family a safe, happy and healthy holiday season and New Year!
