The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is an international body established under the terms of the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) to "provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry".
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is a non-profit,marine conservation activism organization based in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island,Washington,in the United States. Sea Shepherd employs direct action tactics to achieve its goals,most famously by deploying its fleet of ships to track,report on and actively impede the work of fishing vessels believed to be engaged in illegal and unregulated activities causing the unsustainable exploitation of marine life.
Japanese whaling,in terms of active hunting of whales,is estimated by the Japan Whaling Association to have begun around the 12th century. However,Japanese whaling on an industrial scale began around the 1890s when Japan started to participate in the modern whaling industry,at that time an industry in which many countries participated. Modern Japanese whaling activities have extended far outside Japanese territorial waters,including whale sanctuaries protected by other countries.
Ian Castles was Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Finance (1979–86),the Australian Statistician (1986–94),and a Visiting Fellow at the Asia Pacific School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University,Canberra.
Whaling in Australian waters began in 1791 when five of the 11 ships in the Third Fleet landed their passengers and freight at Sydney Cove and then left Port Jackson to engage in whaling and seal hunting off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. The two main species hunted by such vessels in the early years were right and sperm whales. Humpback,bowhead and other whale species would later be taken.
Peter Joseph Noozhumurry Varghese,is an Australian retired diplomat and public servant. He was the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 3 December 2012 to 22 July 2016. He announced in November 2015 that he would leave the position in July 2016 to become the chancellor of the University of Queensland.
Peter Richard Woolcott is an Australian public servant,diplomat and the current Australian Public Service Commissioner. He was previously the Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Woolcott has served as the Australia's High Commissioner to New Zealand,the Australian Ambassador for the Environment,the Australian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva,the Australian Ambassador to Italy,the Deputy Head of Mission in Jakarta,and the Consul-General in Honolulu.
The MY Steve Irwin was the 59-metre (194 ft) flagship of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society,and was used in their direct action campaigns against whaling and against illegal fisheries activities. The vessel was built in 1975 and formerly served as a Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat,the FPV Westra,for 28 years.
Richard Campbell "Ric" Smith is a former senior Australian public servant and diplomat. He served as the Australian Ambassador to China (1996–2000),Australian Ambassador to Indonesia during the time of the 2002 Bali bombings (2001–2002),and Secretary of the Department of Defence (2002–2006). In April 2009,Smith was appointed as Australia's Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mark Ian Paterson is a senior Australian public servant. He is currently the Chief Commissioner of Australian Skills Quality Authority. He was the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Investment,Regional Infrastructure and Services from June 2011 until April 2015. He also served on the board of Infrastructure NSW.
William John Farmer,is a retired senior Australian public servant and policymaker,best known for his time as Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and for his career in the Australian diplomatic service.
William Beal Pritchett was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of Defence between 1979 and 1984.
Stephen Thomas Sedgwick,is a retired senior Australian public servant. He is best known for his time as Australian Public Service Commissioner between 2009 and 2014,and for his prior appointments as secretary of various departments in the Australian Public Service.
Michael Joseph Thawley,was a senior Australian public servant. From December 2014 to January 2016 he was Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Simon Joseph Lewis,is a retired Australian public servant who served as the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs from 10 May 2013 until 18 May 2018.
Russell Allan Higgins is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker.
David John Tune is a retired senior Australian public servant. Between 2009 and 2014 he was Secretary of the Australian Government Finance Department.
Roger Bruce Wilkins is a former senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department between September 2008 and August 2014.
Finn Axel Pratt is a retired senior Australian public servant. He was most recently Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Energy.
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