New Report Highlights How Yahoo! Profits From The Killing of Endangered
Whales and Dolphins, Says the Environmental Investigation Agency, Humane
Society International and the Natural Resources Defense Council
PR Newswire
WASHINGTON, June 6, 2012
Internet Giant Urged To
Ban All Sales of Whale and Dolphin Products
WASHINGTON, June 6, 2012
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of whale products for sale on the
Japanese website of Internet search engine company Yahoo! show how the
California-based company profits from the venture, according to a new report
released today.
"Killing for Commerce," released by the
Environmental Investigation Agency, in conjunction with Humane Society
International and the Natural Resources Defense Council, details how the
website Yahoo! Japan facilitates the sale of meat and other products of
endangered whales in Japan. EIA tests have also turned up evidence that
products derived from dolphins are sold.
"Yahoo! continues to
ignore international outrage over the sale of whale and dolphin products via
its Japanese website, even as it continues to profit from the slaughter of
whales and dolphins," said EIA President Allan Thornton.
Although
Yahoo! has banned the sale of endangered and protected species from all
other Yahoo! sites, EIA, HSI and NRDC are deeply concerned that the company
has made no significant effort to persuade its Japanese subsidiary to end
the sale of whale and dolphin products.
The report shows how in
March, Yahoo! Japan was found offering 249 whale products, including
sashimi, bacon and canned whale meat, for sale on its fee-based sales and
auction sites. That's around 100 more listings of individual products than
Amazon's Japanese website was found to be selling when it was exposed
earlier this year. In response to pressure from around the world, Amazon
swiftly announced a ban on all such sales.
The report also
confirms that many of the products are from internationally protected great
whale species including fin, sei, minke, sperm and Bryde's whale – all of
whom are protected under the moratorium on commercial whaling established by
the International Whaling Commission in 1986 and have the highest level of
protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species. In one example, despite the international trade ban, seven
companies on Yahoo! Japan's website were selling endangered fin whale
imported from Iceland.
"Yahoo! should respect international laws
rather than offering market access to those who want to profit from
flaunting these protective agreements," said Kitty Block, vice president of
HSI.
Moreover, whale products sold via the Japanese website have
been found harmful to human health. EIA commissioned laboratory tests on 10
products purchased from the website and found that five exceeded Japan's
guidelines for mercury levels in food for human consumption. One product was
16 times the "safe" limit.
"We appeal to Yahoo! to follow
Amazon's lead and stop the sale of all whale and dolphin products," said
Taryn Kiekow, staff attorney for NRDC. "By selling these products, Yahoo!
Japan is condoning the slaughter of internationally recognized endangered
and protected species. Whale meat is not only unsafe for human consumption;
it is a travesty for the biological diversity of our oceans."
Read the Report at:
http://www.eia-global.org/PDF/yahoobriefing.pdf
Media
Contacts:
Allan Thornton, President, EIA, U.S. Tel: 202 483 6621
Rebecca Basu, Public Relations Specialist, HSI: 301-258-3152
Jessica Lass, Press Secretary, NRDC: 310-434-2300
The
Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is a US tax exempt environmental
organization that investigates and campaigns against a wide range of
environmental crimes, including illegal wildlife trade, illegal logging,
hazardous waste, and trade in climate and ozone-damaging chemicals. Visit
EIA at www.eia-global.org
Humane Society
International and its partner organizations together constitute one of the
world's largest animal protection organizations—backed by 11 million people.
For nearly 20 years, HSI has been fighting for the protection of all animals
through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and
confronting cruelty worldwide—On the Web at
hsi.org
The Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental
organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since
1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have
worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the
environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us
at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter
@NRDC.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/06/idUS159654+06-Jun-2012+PRN20120606
###
Paul Newman
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