Purpose: This bill would conclude a whale protection agreement with Canada to promote conservation for whales migrating through both countries. It also would ensure that the IWC commercial whaling ban is not lifted or weakened and would end the illegal and lethal “scientific” whaling conducted in spite of the ban. In addition, H.R. 2455 would reduce or eliminate sources of human-caused death, injury, harassment, and disturbance of the world’s whales.
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Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.
Action: SUPPORT. Please contact your Representative and urge him/her to support H.R. 2455. Tell your Representative that whales play a vital role in the marine ecosystem and need international cooperation to ensure their protection and conservation. U.S. leadership in this area is vital.
Talking Points for your letter:
- Whales are under threat from commercial trade pursued under the guise of lethal “scientific” whaling; vessel strikes; incidental noise from commercial shipping; the effects of toxins on their overall health, as well as reproductive and immune systems; fishing gear; and ecosystem changed due to climate change.
- H.R. 2455 encourages international cooperation in the protection and conservation of the world’s whales and ensure that the IWC commercial whaling ban is neither lifted nor weakened and that the related illegal and lethal “scientific” whaling that’s occurring now is brought to an end.
- H.R. 2455 will reduce and, where possible, eliminate human sources of death, injury, harassment and disturbance of whales. Equally as important, it will initiate and fund rsearch to improve our understanding of the world’s whales — their health and reproduction, their habitats, and the impacts of human activities and other threats to whales.