Mike Hancock News
MP supports photo petition to protect whales
Mike Hancock, MP has backed greater protection for whales by striking a 'whale tail' pose. This was as a part of an online "photo petition" campaign by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) being backed by MPs and celebrities including the model Twiggy and comedienne Jo Brand.
The worldwide ban on commercial whaling is currently under threat with a compromise deal due to be discussed at the next International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Agadir, Morocco, later this month. If passed, the deal would legitimise commercial whaling for the first time in more than 20 years.
And IFAW also says that whales face many other threats including commercial whaling, ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, climate change and man-made ocean noise.
Mike Hancock, therefore is taking part in IFAW's 'Tails for Whales' online photo petition, which raises awareness of the need for greater whale protection. IFAW is encouraging people from all walks of life to be photographed making the whale tail hands symbol and upload them to their campaign website http://www.tailsforwhales.org/
Mike said: "I am pleased to be taking part in 'Tails for Whales'. Unfortunately whales face more threats today than ever before and this project sends out a positive message that we should all be working to protect the ban on whaling and safeguard whale populations."
Robbie Marsland, UK Director of IFAW, said: "We are very grateful to Mike Hancock for showing his support for whales at such a critical time. IFAW opposes commercial or so-called 'scientific' whaling because it is cruel and unnecessary and we believe these magnificent and intelligent creatures should be protected for future generations to enjoy. Support for this project demonstrates that many people feel the same."
The aim is to collect as many of these positive images as possible on the website, particularly in the run-up to the next meeting of the IWC, to urge all member countries to use their votes to protect, not weaken, the worldwide ban on commercial whaling.
Notes:
Whale tail images can be uploaded to the website www.tailsforwhales.org (JPEG format, minimum 1024x768pix).
Despite a worldwide ban on commercial whaling coming into effect in 1986, more than 30,000 whales have been killed for commercial reasons since that time.
Japan hunts whales under a loophole for so-called "scientific" whaling, which IFAW believes is really commercial whaling by another name. Iceland has killed whales both commercially and under the "scientific" clause and Norway has continued to hunt commercially under an objection to the ban.
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