The US Navy and the Natural Resources Defense Council  (NRDC), the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Cetacean Society International, League for Coastal Protection, Ocean Futures Society and Jean-Michel Cousteau last week settled a lawsuit filed in 2005 by the environmental organizations seeking to restrict the use of mid-frequency sonar in some 370 loactions around the globe. These powerful sonar signals which are used to locate enemy submarines are believed to be extremely harmful to whales, dolphins, and other marine life forms which also use sonar. A number of studies have recently been completed which support this. ProfessorChris Parsons of  the International Whaling Commission’s scientific and conservation committee, has asserted that anytime there is a large whale beaching it is the result of military activity. After three years of intense legal battles the result is; in the settlement the Navy agreed to fund further research into "topics of interest to the Navy and plaintiffs". More research which means no action.

This is reminiscent of the Japanese and their on-going "scientific" whale research, particularly how they taste. I recently met Paul Watson, skipper of the Sea Sheperd and expert authority on all things scotch, who is once again preparing to head to the Southern Ocean and play cat & mouse with the Japanese whaling fleet. Last year the Sea Shepard and Greenpeace harassed the Japanese fleet for weeks after two of it's crew managed to board one of the whaling ships. It was a shining example of inspired courageous direct action. One big up-side for this year's journey, Daryl Hannah is going along to show support and garner some extra media attention. Knowing Daryl she will lend a hand, dress up the deck,  and hopefully jump on board one of the whalers. Now that would make for some great press. Seriously, how pissed could the Japanese whalers be to have Daryl on board? These guys are slaughtering whales in the worst seas on the planet. My money's on Daryl making some converts.

In the meantime, it is BAU for the Navy and too bad for the whales. If any one has a design for whale-sized noise canceling headphones, now is the time. A sure fire marketing coup.

The US Navy and the Natural Resources Defense Council  (NRDC), the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Cetacean Society International, League for Coastal Protection, Ocean Futures Society and Jean-Michel Cousteau last week settled a lawsuit filed in 2005 by the environmental organizations seeking to restrict the use of mid-frequency sonar in some 370 loactions around the globe. These powerful sonar signals which are used to locate enemy submarines are believed to be extremely harmful to whales, dolphins, and other marine life forms which also use sonar. A number of studies have recently been completed which support this. ProfessorChris Parsons of  the International Whaling Commission’s scientific and conservation committee, has asserted that anytime there is a large whale beaching it is the result of military activity. After three years of intense legal battles the result is; in the settlement the Navy agreed to fund further research into "topics of interest to the Navy and plaintiffs". More research which means no action.

This is reminiscent of the Japanese and their on-going "scientific" whale research, particularly how they taste. I recently met Paul Watson, skipper of the Sea Sheperd and expert authority on all things scotch, who is once again preparing to head to the Southern Ocean and play cat & mouse with the Japanese whaling fleet. Last year the Sea Shepard and Greenpeace harassed the Japanese fleet for weeks after two of it's crew managed to board one of the whaling ships. It was a shining example of inspired courageous direct action. One big up-side for this year's journey, Daryl Hannah is going along to show support and garner some extra media attention. Knowing Daryl she will lend a hand, dress up the deck,  and hopefully jump on board one of the whalers. Now that would make for some great press. Seriously, how pissed could the Japanese whalers be to have Daryl on board? These guys are slaughtering whales in the worst seas on the planet. My money's on Daryl making some converts.

In the meantime, it is BAU for the Navy and too bad for the whales. If any one has a design for whale-sized noise canceling headphones, now is the time. A sure fire marketing coup.