How Can I Help?

What Can I Do?

The fact that you are reading this page proves you are interested in insuring a safe future for Tongan humpbacks and whales of all species around the world. We must remain aware of any changes and developments affecting international and domestic whaling policy. We need to be vocal about our ideas and concerns; we must be active in in the decision making process. Outlined below are a few concrete actions you can take. Please feel free to e-mail the Imaging Foundation with any specific and timely additions.

Join an Imaging Foundation Expedition- Our expedition members are actively involved in making our mission and goals a reality. We use media to educate and we aid other nonprofit organizations by extending them usage of our imagery.

Spend a Day Whale Watching - By supporting the whale watching industry both locally and internationally, we are effecting policy through our economic choices. We are showing lawmakers and citizens that we are in favor of whale protection and that the economic value of a live whale far outweighs that of a dead whale.

Make Noise- Talk to people about whales, their importance and their conservation. During our expedition, many of us were shocked to learn that there is a cookbook devoted to preparing whale cuisine. We discovered the that there is more legal whaling permitted than most of us imagined; we also learned about many of the loopholes used by the United States and other nations that extend annual whale quotas. As a group we discussed these issues and educated each other. We completed the expedition with stronger resolve, backed with knowledge, which will help us speak with others about whaling from an informed position.

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the hub of whaling policy. Refer to the list below to identify the name of your country's represenative. Write to your representative as well as voting members from other countries.

66 IWC Member Countries

The above members of the IWC can be contacted at: IWCJournal@iwcoffice.org
Or, if you prefer snail mail:

The International Whaling Commission
The Red House,
135 Station Road,
Impington,
Cambridge CB4 9NP,
UK.

Correspondance with any of the IWC representatives might include the following points:

I support the protection of cetaceans worldwide and encourage you to use your position with the IWC to promote this end.

I support the creation of the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary.

I am against any current commercial whaling and adamantly oppose the re-introduction of new commercial whaling allowances.

Special effort should be made to target the IWC representative from your own country as well as a few key influential members from other countries. A few of the most impactful countries would be the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Norway.

Contact the King of Tonga to express support for his decision to renew Tonga's ban on whaling.

Contact your government's decision makers. Laws affecting whale safety are constantly being presented to our lawmaker. Make your position known to your representatives.

The House of Representatives: To contact your Representative, click on this link and you will be presented with the representative's name from your state and district: http://www.house.gov/writerep

The Senate: To contact your Senators, click on this link and you will be presented with the name of your two Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Consider making charitable donations to organizations promoting whale conservation.