Whaling weekend
The National Sea Life centre in Birmingham is holding a special weekend of activities and offering free admission to kids if they help to protect the whales in the Antarctic.
The Brindleyplace based centre is one of twenty-five Sea Life centres in eight countries across Europe, who are calling for the boycott of all Japanese good this Christmas in protest over Japan’s Antarctic whale hunt.
Over this coming weekend (1st and 2nd) any child under 14 who signs a special ‘message to Santa’ asking him not to bring them anything made in Japan this year, will be given free admission.
Across the weekend there will also be a whale trail with special prizes available, plenty of facts to learn and activities to get involved in.
The Japanese fleet has gone to the Antarctic with the intention of killing 950 whales, including – for the first time – humpbacked whales.
“Japan uses a loophole in the charter of the International Whaling Commission to carry on whaling for so-called ‘scientific’ purposes,” said Sea Life director and marine biologist Rob Hicks.
“The Japanese government ignores all diplomatic lobbying to stop this butchery, even though polls suggest that even the majority of Japanese people are against it.
“If we register our outrage in a way that threatens their economy though, we think that it may have more of an impact.”
The Birmingham aquarium has begun regular broadcasting of the famous and haunting ‘song of the humpbacked whale’ over its aquarium sound systems to help rally support for its boycott.
The Centres’ own gift shops are removing all Japanese goods from their shelves.
“When you consider the number of Japanese electrical products, mobile phones, computer games and other such items that help fill Christmas stockings, this protest could really make in impact,” said Rob.
The Sea Life network includes attractions in Finland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain and Ireland as well as the UK.
It has an impressive track-record of championing marine life causes, having petitioned the EU over turtle conservation, shark-fining and overfishing.
“This latest campaign is different in that there is no compelling scientific case to suggest that whale populations will be endangered by this hunt,” said Rob.
“My colleagues and I feel no less strongly about it, though, as we all care passionately about whales and share a total abhorrence of this slaughter.”
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