In response to the arrest of Captain Paul Watson, Dr. Jane Goodall and the members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees have issued the following statement calling for his immediate release.
Dr. Jane Goodall and members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees urgently call for the Danish government to immediately release Captain Paul Watson and deny requests from the Japanese government to extradite him. We understand that Captain Watson was arrested on charges related to his opposition to a Japanese whaling ship operating in the North Pacific.
Dr. Goodall and members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees unequivocally condemn the practice of whaling and are strongly opposed to arresting individuals demonstrating their compassion and concern for the wellbeing, conservation and protection of cetaceans and individuals of those species.
Whales (and other cetaceans) are long lived sentient beings. They have complex social bonds and are extremely intelligent. Whaling, whether for commercial or alleged scientific purposes, is cruel and unethical. Each and every whale matters as an individual and should be respected accordingly.
Captain Watson is simply taking action to try to prevent the inhumane practice of killing whales, which most countries have banned decades ago. In so doing he is expressing the anger of thousands of people in many countries who absolutely support his moral courage in not only speaking out on behalf of the whales, but taking action.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Jane Goodall and members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees: Dr. Jane Goodall (DBE, Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace), Prof. Dr. Marc Bekoff (zoologist, University of Colorado Boulder, USA), Dr. Kerry Bowman (ethicist, University of Toronto, Canada), Chris Heyde (founder and CEO, Blue Marble Strategy, USA), Melody Horrill (journalist and author/animal advocate, Australia), Dr. Soojin Jang (marine mammal scientist, Marine Animal Research and Conservation, Korea), Dr. Koen Margodt (ethicist, the Jane Goodall Institute Global/Ghent University, Belgium), Dr. Lori Marino (marine mammal scientist, founder and president, Whale Sanctuary Project, USA), Mary Peng (founder and CEO, International Center for Veterinary Services, the People’s Republic of China), Dr. Rick Quinn (veterinarian, Canada), Charles Vinick (executive director, Whale Sanctuary Project, USA), Dr. Ingrid Visser (marine mammal scientist, Orca Research Trust, New Zealand) and Sarah Wertkin (anthrozoology, the Jane Goodall Institute, Canada).
For correspondence, please email: koen.margodt@janegoodall.global
This letter is available as a PDF here.
