Japanese Whaling Firm Fined $1m For Illegally Operating In Aussie Sanctuary

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Published

November 18, 2015

In a landmark victory for anti-whaling campaigners, a Japanese whaling firm has been fined more than a million dollars for operating in the Australian Antarctic whale sanctuary.

VICTORY! Federal Court finds whaling company guilty of breaching 2008 injunction, fines $1million @HSIGlobal @EDONSW pic.twitter.com/Uvm5GVSjE0

— HSI Australia (@hsi_australia) November 18, 2015

Humane Society International’s (HSI) victory against Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha brings the first punishment given out for breaching Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

Federal Court judge Jaybe Jagot said she was “satisfied that a penalty of not less than $250,000 for each of the four whaling seasons should be imposed on Kyodo.”

Jagot said the whalers were operating in “wilful contempt” of international guidelines by taking whales within sanctuary borders.

Thanks to @EDONSW and our barristers for a #whale of a win against #whaling company Kyodo https://t.co/qI0aKegncs pic.twitter.com/SiVNHk2XGp

— HSI Australia (@hsi_australia) November 18, 2015

It’s been a long-fought battle, with charges first leveled at the company by HSI over a decade ago. Still, the Society’s Michael Kennedy thinks the company will continue to operate in the sanctuary regardless, and he’s called for the Federal Government to take stronger action against whaling too.

For now, though – swim freely, blubber-buddies.

Story via The Guardian.

Image: Cameron Spencer via Getty.