The British, French and German governments also issued a message which strongly criticised the Marine Research Institute’s proposals for 39 minke whales to be taken this year.

IFAW condemned the recommendation as cruel, unnecessary and economically unsustainable and called on Iceland’s Ministry of Fisheries to abandon the practice. It is also concerned by proposals to take a further 100 whales next year.

Iceland resumed whaling two years ago on the grounds of scientific research.

Shell announced today that they will move the pipeline 20 kilometers to the south, away from the main feeding area of the critically endangered Western Gray Whale. A coalition of environmental organizations from around the world has been demanding that Shell move the pipeline for several years.

This February, a group of internationally renowned IUCN experts published a scientific report confirming that the Sakhalin-2 project threatened the extinction of the Western Gray Whale.

These disturbing events come after seven months of record poaching incidents and seizures. IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare - www.ifaw.org) commends the authorities for arrests that have been made but warns that much more needs to be done to reduce the threat to elephants.

“IFAW is delighted with this achievement,” said Kate Nattrass Atema, IFAW’s Companion Animal Program Director. “IFAW was closely involved with the drafting of this Written Declaration and lobbied for its support because we believe it will lead to drastically improved welfare for the many of the estimated 120 million dogs and cats in the EU.”