A Whaler’s Lament

The song for the International Whaling Commission by Kevin Johnson

The plight of the whales is coming to a head. The 58th annual conference of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on the Caribbean island of St Kitts from 16th-20th June could mean the end of the 20-year efforts to protect these endangered marine mammals. In the now almost 70-country-strong IWC, the whalers seem to be calling the shots. Although the 1985/86 “Moratorium” is still in force, this ban on hunting for commercial purposes is in danger of being toppled, or simply ignored. Japan, it seems, has succeeded in finding yet more countries to support whaling. As a consequence, the opponents of whaling will have lost their simple majority. Over 2,300 whales were killed last year, mostly by Japan and Norway. In 2006 the number will rise. Add to this deaths caused by fisheries by-catch, collisions with ships, pollution through poisonous substances and noise pollution from industry and the military, the number becomes alarming.

In time for this year’s IWC conference, the Australian musician, Kevin Johnson, has released a song for the whales at the request of the Society for the Conservation of Marine Mammals (GSM – Gesellschaft zum Schutz der Meeressaeugetiere). “The whales are singing to me” is the lament of an old whaler, who has realised too late how the whales have suffered at his hands. The song is an appeal by the artist to leave the surviving whales in peace. It is part of a new Kevin Johnson CD “Songs from a Troubled World”. To hear a clip of the song or to place an order, visit the website: www.rocknrolligaveyou.com.

Johnson has been in the international music business for more than 30 years and became famous with his song “Rock & Roll I gave you the best years of my life”.

Petra Deimer