Norwegian Authorities Seize GP Vessel in Connection with Whaling Actio
Klaus Merkle
## weitergeleitet durch Klaus Merkle
## PMs zum Inhalt bitte an den Ersteller, Brett-Mail ans Gruppenbrett
Norwegian Authorities Seize Greenpeace Vessel in Connection with Whaling Actions
Activist fined 2000 US Dollars each after being shot at
Stavanger 99 07 15 The municipal court in Stavanger today allowed police to seize the Greenpeace vessel
MV Sirius. The court charged Greenpeace with interfearing with Norwegian whaling and disobeying
coast-guard orders. The Sirius was arrested and towed into Stavanger on Tuesday morning after having
peacefully protested against Norwegian whaling.
Meanwhile the whaling boat Kato, from which three rifle shots were fired at Greenpeace activists remains
at sea. The seizure of Sirius is a clear display of Norway's double standard. While the Sirius is seized for
peacefully protesting illegal Norwegian whaling", the people who could have killed our activists remain at
large, says Frode Pleym, Norwegian whale campaigner.
The court imposed a total of 284.000 Norwegian Kronres (35.000 US dollars) on Greenpeace, including
2000 dollars each for the people in the boat which was hit hit by rifle fire. "Norway has defied the IWC's
moratorium every year since 1993 and by doing so, breaches the Law of the Sea Convention which requires
states to cooperate with the IWC for the conservation of whales", adds Frode Pleym.
Since the Greenpeace whale campaign began in early May, Greenpeace has documented wasteful whaling
practices by Norwegian whalers. Most of the whale is thrown back to sea. In addition, Greenpeace has
documented the meat and blubber mountains filling the whale meat storages. Since Norwegians hardly eat
whale meat anymore, the whalers are pressuring the Norwegian Government to allow the export of whale
products, despite the international trade ban by CITES(1).
note to editors:
(1) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), a treaty which currently prohibits
international sale of whale meat and other products. CITES member nations have traditionally honoured the
advice of the IWC on all matters pertaining to whales. CITES will meet next in Nairobi in April 2000, during
which Japan and Norway, are expected to push for a lift of the ban.
For more information, please check our WebPages at http//:www.greanpeace.no/english