A compromise proposal to end the 25-year ban on commercial whaling while improving protection measures afforded to the marine mammals collapsed this week at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Agadir, Morocco. Inside Story, with presenter Nick Clark, in a show produced in Agadir discusses why the IWC failed to agree on this thorny issue in its 62th conference.

The International Whaling Commission’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Agadir, Morocco, 2010

Place of the Commission:

Centre de Congrès
Les Dunes d’Or
Agadir
Morocco

Tuesday, the 22nd of June 2010 – NEPAL MEETS MOROCCO INFORMATIONDAY

Knowing that Nepal’s dolphins are not part of the IWC meeting, there is a need to say that those animals are a  threatened species and they will die off very soon, if no one  takes care of the pollution of the KARNALI  River in Nepal.

Bernhard Bechter will be available the whole day on Tuesday the 22nd at the Centre de Congrès to share information, to impart his experience and to present results about his three expeditions in Nepal at the Karnali River between 2002 and 2010 with delegates, NGO’s and journalists.

The Situation at the Karnali River is appalling: “Only one dozen dolphins survived!”

Only a few gangetic dolphins survived in Nepal. The assignment of the Bardia National Park management seems to be very feeble. The military which is to be functioning to protect the National park does not have enough manpower, to provide a perfect service and control the huge size of this area. Villages’ west sided the river are still using poison for fishing. Fishes are widely harvested across the River because of indigent people, even the smallest fish they try to catch. Therefore the dolphins do not have enough food. The dam closed to the border of India/Nepal is dividing the whole ecosystem, just to denominate a few problems responsive for the extinction of the dolphins.

A possibility to help the dolphins in an easy way:

Bernhard Bechter’s idea is pretty common and meets with magnificent feedback from Nepal’s villagers of the Bardia National Park. Providing dolphin watching in 2 man rafts would give a good profit to people living at the Karnali River. Bernhard Bechter has already given one completely raft equipment to the village, and taught some serious jungle guides a safe handling of the boats and a gentle Treatment of Tourists. Bernhard Bechter has worked out a perfect tour with Hukum Shahi, which is including a jungle walk with tiger-, elephant- and rhinoceros watching. Subsequent as a highlight dolphin watching would be offered.

The reaction of the locals understanding the situation is as following: „We have to save the dolphins, because they can bring us good money! “

Some of the local guides are explaining the situation to the indigent people of the villages along the river. Showing them, how dangerous poisonous fishing is as well for humankinds. And also suggest them that Nepal’s dolphins are very special creatures deserving to be saved.

Tourism at the Bardia Nationalpark

The tourism in this region of Nepal needs to be developed. The way from Kathmandu to this area is quite long and exhausting. The political situation beside Nepal’s main tourism areas is still very unstable. The roads are often blocked by a strike, do not really help to develop tourism, and minimizes the number of foreign Visitors.

Giving western people support, to visit the Bardia National park or to join the next River Dolphin Expedition in November 2010

Bernhard Bechter is preparing the next River dolphin Expedition in November 2010 and invites NGO’s, Delegates, Biologists and all interested people to join this expedition to give a requirement adjustment to the Karnali area.

Objectives of Expedition

-     Increasing the number of Tourists
-     Organisation of the major dolphin counting at the Karnali River ever done
-     Teaching local people the importance and speciality of their dolphins and a worldwide interest on their survival
-    Forcing the National park management how to be more active and effective and that much more can be done then taking entry fees for the National park
-    Visiting the army station and motivate the crew to do their very important job on a very high level of responsibility
-    Obtaining more boats for dolphin watching tours, helping the tour guides feeding their families
-    Publication of participants reports in their native countries and web sides
-    Diffusing Knowledge of the existence of Karnali River Dolphins, also known as “the Wales” of Nepal

Organizing the River Dolphin Expedition & costs:

The program will be worked out by Bernhard Bechter during summer 2010 and will be posted on www.whalewatchingfuture.info.

Meeting point and the central office will be placed at Hukum’s Jungle Base camp (closed to the Army station).

Participants of the expedition have to arrange their journey to the Bardia National park themselves (A Flight ticket to Kathmandu needs to be organized and a transfer from Kathmandu to the Bardia National Park by bus or car, which means a day trip. Info about booking the Tickets and travelling will be posted here)

There is a possibility to get accommodation in very traditional lodges in the village with very delicious food. You pay your Nepali accommodation on location, so no travel agency has to be paid. The profit should be benefited directly to the local people.

Minimum time to stay will be one week, staying longer is indeed not restricted.

Program:

We’ll cover the whole Nepali part of the Karnali River, where the dolphins can be found. There will be boat crews and country crews. We’ll try to cover the complete River for at least 3 censuses, lasting 24 hours each. So we’ll have the chance, to spot all dolphins along the river. After that census we’ll have a serious number of dolphin’s population and there can not be guessed anymore, that there are plenty of dolphins just hiding somewhere anabranch! (This information is heard many times, but anabranch the water level is to flat between the pools, which makes it impossible for the dolphins even to get there)

There is also a possibility to join the combined jungle – dolphin watching tour the day’s between the 24 hour censuses.

As soon as we will have an idea, about the number of participants of the River dolphin Expedition we’ll calculate how many boats can be brought to the local guides. The system will be as following:

The local guides will guide the participants for the boats they will get, meaning that they will have to work for their equipment. Just donating the equipment to them makes them not much caring for the equipment. The local guides will get money for providing food and accommodation.

The National park will get the entry fees from all participants.

The cost’s of one boat set including transport and safety equipment (throw sacks, live jackets, first aid packs,…)  will be around 1.500,- € (we’ll get good shape second hand equipment from a big rafting centre in Austria for a special rate) and this costs will be split between the participants. As more participants are joining the project, as more material we can provide to the local guides. Logos of all organisations who join the project will be mounted on the boats.

Why do not only donate money to the Bardia Nationalpark

Past experience showed us, that the profit for the local people from the Bardia National park is very low. It is very important, that a maximum benefit of this project is directly handed out to the people living there. The good experience of earning money with the River dolphins ensures them a future in the Karnali River. The National park will earn enough money with entry fees from the participants. Get your own idea about the quality of the National park service, by joining the project!

TAKE THE CHANCE TO JOIN THIS UNIQE PROJECT & BRING YOUR SUPPORT TO NEPAL

!!!The manner of organization of the scientific management will be decided in the next few weeks!!!

Any information needed, please talk to Bernhard Bechter at the IWC conference in Agadir Morocco on Tuesday, 22nd of June 2010.

Contact if you wanna be part of the expedition as participant:

Hope to see you in Nepal, November 2010!

Nehmen Sie sich die paar Minuten Zeit für dieses kurze Video. Mit bestem Dank an Mario Adorf und die WDCS, denn solche Geschichten sensibilisieren & regen zum Nachdenken an.

Hier der Videobericht, wie es zu diesem Video gekommen ist:

Die 62. IWC steht vor der Tür. In der 3. Juni Woche 2010 findet das Annual Meeting in Agadir Marroko statt.

Bernhard Bechter wird die Whalewathingfuture Botschaft nach Afrika bringen. Obwohl die Delfine kein Bestandteil der IWC sind, sind bei dieser Konferenz alle wichtigen NGO’s vertreten und vielen ist nicht bewußt, wie akut die Situation für Nepals Flussdelfine am Karnali ist.

Diese Informationen und Mitstreiter für das Projekt am Karnali zu gewinnen wird die Aufgabe der Aktion sein und die Information wird wieder sehr eindrücklich präsentiert werden.

Die Berichterstattung erfolgt ab der 2. Juni Woche.

BITTE HABEN SIE ETWAS GEDULD BIS WIR MIT DER NEUEN SEITE ONLINE SIND, DANKE!

Vorübergehend können Sie noch unsere bisherige Archivseite www.globalance.org besuchen, bitte berücksichtigen Sie, dass die Links zu den Tourbooks & den seiten die bei unserem alten Provider gehostet waren bis zur Neuinstallation nicht funktionieren.

Leider scheinen die letzten Einträge beim Backup nicht berücksichtig worden zu sein, wir werden jedoch versuchen, diese wieder online zu bringen, wenn wir noch hardcopies zu den Einträgenrekonstruieren können

Bitte besuchen Sie unsbald wieder.

Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis,

Bernhard Bechter

Projektleiter

About this site

the idea of the project whalewatchingfuture.info is from GLOBALANCE-founder bernhard bechter. GLOBALANCE is doing expeditions since 1995, to bring attention to the problems around commerical whaleing.
OCEANCARE is the backbone of the project in 2007 & is covering also the main costs of the project in 2007 and is the main mediacontact.
WDCS is supporting as third partner the project and is helping specialy with manpower & contacts to iceland.

OCEANCARE and WDCS will joint the IWC meeting 2007 in alaska, the GLOBALANCE team will be at the same time in iceland.

Tag 13 – Reykjavik

Heute war das Tour-Team im Hafen von Reykjavik, um Info-Gespräche zu führen. Die angesagte Whale Watching Tour des lokalen Anbieters mußte leider wegen zu starkem Wind und zu hohen Wellen abgesagt werden.

Absurde Situation am Hafen. Die Distanz zwischen Walbeobachtungs- und Wlafangschiffen beträgt gerade mal 40 Meter.

Interessantes Kommentar eines Whale Watching Veranstalters: “Es wäre grossartig, wenn wir diese Schiffe als schwimmendes Museum verwenden könnten!”

Auf der Fahrt zurück zum Camp, riss die Kette an Bernhard’s Bike, konnte aber schon erneuert werden.

Hier geht’s zum Videoblog

Day 13 – Reykjavik

Today we are in Reykjavik. The local whale watching – tour was canceled because to much wind and to high waves. but we had a very interesting meeting with the whale watching operators. Absurd: Between the WHALE WAHTCHING and WHALE HUNTING boats are only about 40 meters distance. A very interesting comment came from a Whale Watching Operator: “It would be so great, if we could use this boats as floating museum!”
On the way back to the camp the chain of bernhard’s bike broke in the middle of the city, but could be fixed.

Tomorrow the team will hit direction west!

Here you can go to the Videoblog

Aus frostig wird stürmisch

Kein Internetanschluss in den letzten Tagen – hier ein geballtes Update

Wer dachte, Tag 5 war nach dem Weblogupdate vorbei, hier die Story und das Video, was noch an dem Tag geschah.

Nach dem Fahrerwechsel spielte Bernhard noch die Daten in der Bibliothek von Eglistadir auf’s Web, während Dieter bereits auf den Weg zum Pass ans Meer war. Bernhard warnte ihn ausreichend vor, denn 1998 auf dem Weg nach Grönland, hatte er auf der steilen Schotterpiste so seine Probleme. Schon der Weg zum Pass war mit Rad und Sarg anstrengend, denn das Wetter verschlechterte sich mit jeder Minute und der Wind wurde immer böiger. Kurz vor dem Pass holte das Team Dieter ein und Bernhard begann zu filmen und fotografieren. Mittlerweile war regelrecht Wintereinbruch. Die Abfahrt vom Pass war mit dem schiebenden Sarg auf dem Hänger nicht ungefährlich, noch dazu war der Wind heftig böig. Diese Etappe war wirkliches Bikerhardcoretreten.

Nach über 4 1/2 Stunden bei grimmigen Temperaturen und blauen Fingern sollte Dieter von Sabine abgelöst werden, Bernhard meinte aber nur noch zu Dieter: “Kommt, fahrt das Begleitfahrzeug runter, hier auf der steilen Strasse ist der Radwechsel nur mühsam. Ich fahr das Bike noch schnell bis zum flachen Teil!”

Kurz darauf wunderte sich das Team aber, dass sie Bernhard nirgends mehr sehen konnten, obwohl die Strasse durchgehend vom Radwechselplatz einzusehen war. Und wo war Bernhard?

Bernhard machte mit Rad und Sarg einen Abflug über die gut 5 Meter hohe Böschung, landete nach einem Überschlag fast sanft auf dem Moosboden und hatte wirkliches Glück. Das Rad wurde zwar beschädigt (der Kettenwerfer klemmte zwischen den Hinterradspeichen), aber der Toursarg überstand den Überschlag schadlos. Das Team wunderte sich erst, wohin Bernhard ins Nichts verschwunden war. Trieben gar Trolle ihr Unwesen? Jedenfalls fuhren sie die Strasse wieder hoch und fanden Bernhard unterhalb der Böschung.

Nach notdürftigen Reperaturen und Rücktransport des Unglückfahrzeugs zurück auf die Strasse fuhr Bernhard noch das Gespann in den flachen Teil und dann übergab er wie vorgesehen Bike und Sarg an Sabine. Chris absolvierte die letzte Etappe des Tages.

Tag 6 war ein voller Arbeitstag. Strecke schinden. Dieter und Bernhard versuchen in einem winzigen Ort namens Breidalsvik das Weblog upzudaten, aber es gibt keinen Internetanschluss. Die Touriinfo war auch geschlossen, es ist ja noch nicht Saison. Zumindestens konnte der Film geschnitten werden: Im Supermarkt. Die Jungs improvisieren was das Zeug hält.

Tag 7 legte Bernhard die erste Etappe zurück und hatte gegen starken und eiskalten Gegenwind anzukämpfen. Über zwei Stunden war das maximal mögliche Tempo gerade mal so schnell, wie sich ein Fussgänger beim Shoppingbummel bewegt. Nach dem Wendepunkt im Fjord gings flugs wieder raus Richtung Meer und zirka 75 Kilometern war Übergabe an Dieter. In diesem kaum besiedelten Teil Islands ist eine traumhafte Kulisse und die Gletscher reichen bis zum Talboden. Sabine fuhr die letzte Etappe und Chris hatte Radfahrtechnisch den Tag frei. Gesamtkilometerleistung des Teams am Tag zirka 200.

Tag 8 beginnt für für Chris. Halb sechs aufstehen, halb sieben auf den Sattel und dann fährt sie ihre erste 55 Kilometer Etappe. Während Sabine eine mindestens vier Stunden Einheit absolviert, versucht das Team in Vik die Updates fertig zu machen und online zu stellen. Gefahren wird heute wieder bis in die Nacht. Das Wetter ist gut und das muß im Süden Islands ausgenutzt werden.

Da in diesem Teil die Besiedelung noch nicht sehr dicht ist, kann das Team auch gut Strecke machen. Doch immer wieder halten Autos an und wollen wissen, was das mit dem Sarg an dem Fahrrad zu tun hat. “Bringt die Leute zum reden” – Die Tour soll zum Dialog anregen. Und das tut sie bereits.

Hier gehts’s zum Video des Tages

Aus frostig wird stürmisch – Frosty turns into stormy

There was no internet connection these past days: here’s a big update…

Day 5 was still full of events after the weblogupdate; here’s the story plus a video of the events that were yet to happen.

After Dieter took over the bike to ride over a pass towards the ocean, Bernhard used the library of Eglistadir to put the homepage info online. Bernhard knew why he warned Dieter about the road, as he already had his problems on that steep graveled road when he was on his way to Greenland in 1998. With the wind becoming stronger and the weather becoming worse, Dieter had a hard time to transport bike, coffin and himself up the pass. Shortly before the top the team, sitting comfortably in the car, reached Dieter and Bernhard made a film/foto session. With the weather turning more and more into wintry conditions, the descent of the tour vehicle on the risky road was rather like an offroad-hardcore-bike trip.

Dieter was to change turns with Sabine when his fingers turned blue already; no wonder after 4½ hours in grim weather. As Bernhard was the most experienced on that road, he wanted to bring the bike plus the pushing coffin down the pass so the team advanced with the jeep until the bottom of the valley; when Bernhard still wouldn’t turn up after 15 minutes the team had to look hard to find him sitting in the mossy abyss besides the road. The salto that he made was not even due to the trolls doing, but rather to the difficult conditions. The fall was rather fortunate, as the coffin was still whole, and the damage on the bike could be repaired as far that the bike could be brought down into the flat.

Sabine would advance the coffin yet another good bit and the last turn of the day was made done by Chris.

Day 6 is a hard day’s work for the guys, they are trying t o update the weblog in a tiny coastal town named Breidalsvik in the eastern fjords, but as the tourist season hasn’t started already there’s no internet available. At least they are able to cut the videos, connected in a little supermarket. Touring calls for improvisation!

On day 7 Bernhard does the first turn, with fighting against strong and icy wind coming from the front. For two hours advancing was almost impossible. Conveniently biking in the fjords always brings wind on the back on one way, so after a finally satisfying ride that advances the team for another 75km’s, then the bike is given over to Dieter. This part of Iceland is very sparsely populated, but the background is marvellous with it’s glacier and lavafield views. Sabine did the last turn of the day, Chris was getting the day off to rest her knee.

Still the team would make 200 km’s on bike on this day!

Day 8 is starting with a early getting up for Chris, eating a fast muesli and starting to bike at 6:30 a.m. She does her first 55 km turn. While Sabine’s riding a four hours turn, the team tries in Vik to finish the updates as well as put them online. The weather’s fine, specially for southern Iceland, and the team will bike on into the night. (which is short in Iceland anyways…)

The coffin’s getting onwards very fast, little breaks to the biking is brought by people stopping their cars to ask about the coffin. ‘Have a dialogue’, the tour wants to bring about conversation.

Here you can find the video of the day

Anhängerkupplung vor Reykjavik gebrochen

Am gestrigen Tag war der Sarg-Transport per Rad unmöglich beziehungsweise zu gefährlich. Die Windböen hätten den Radfahrer wohl vom Bike geblasen und den Sarg ständig umgeworfen. Dazu nasskalte Temperaturen und Regengüsse, bei denen der Spruch „Es schüttet wie aus Eimern“ voll zu traf. Das Team verbrachte den Tag im kleinen 3 Mann Shelter und konnte sich ein wenig von den Strapazen der letzten Woche erholen. Dieter und Bernhard fuhren zurück in die letzte Ortschaft, um das Weblog upzudaten. Aber an dem Feiertag hatte bis auf die Tankstelle alles geschlossen. Bei privaten Leuten durften die beiden dann im Haus das Internet benutzen, aber die Verbindung war so langsam, dass nach über 50 Minuten onlinezeit nicht einmal das kürzeste Video zur Hälfte online war. Also wurde nur der Textteil upgedatet.

Am heutigen Tag machte sich das Team auf den Endsprint nach Reykjavik. Die Schotterstrasse war eine sogenannte Wellblechstrecke. Beim Parkplatz an den heissen Quellen meldete Sabine per SMS, daß den Anhänger abgebrochen war. Das Begleitteam fuhr zurück und Bernhard und Dieter reparierten die gebrochene Kupplung mit Gewebeband und einem Riemen. Dieter fuhr die letzte Etappe bis nach Reykjavik, wo das Team das Lager auf dem Campingplatz aufschlug.

Der Wechsel vom Nichts in dichtesten Stadtverkehr war für alle beinahe ein Kulturschock. Zudem ist das Fahren mit dem langen Radgespann auf der auf und ab gehenden Stadtstrasse sehr anstrengend. Dieter: „Wahnsinn. Von 5 Autos die Stunde auf einmal 5 Autos pro Sekunde!“.

Nach der Ankunft machen sich Bernhard und Dieter sofort an die Verarbeitung der Daten, Chris und Sabine nutzen die Chanche, die durchgeschwitzten Klamotten der Walfahrer in der Waschmaschine der Jugendherberge zu waschen.

Morgen wird das Team in Reykjavik Öffentlichkeitsarbeit betreiben und dann den Weg Richtung Nordwesten fortsetzen.

Im nächsten Bericht wird über die Erfahrungen von den Begegnungen mit der Stadtbevölkerung berichtet. Ab jetzt werden auch die Whale Watching Regionen besucht um die Mission voran zu treiben.

Zu den letzten Videos der Tour

Broken tailer attachment on the way to Reykjavik

Yesterday the weather would force even the bravest biker to stay inside. Going on was impossible as the wind was strong enough to throw over the coffin and even to throw down the one who would dare to try to cycle. And as it was raining bricks as well, the team spent another day in the pretty little shelter and recovered from last week’s strainments. Dieter and Bernhard went by car into the next biggest settlement to put the weblog online, but as it was a holiday yesterday everything was closed down. Some friendly people would let them use their private internet, but the connection was so slow that after 50 min. not even the shortest video went online. Still the text could be updated.

Today in the morning the team went into the final sprint to reach Reykjavik. The team in the car was taking pictures of hot springs when Sabine wrote per SMS that the coffin broke off the trailer attachment on the graveled way.

The team drove back to find the coffin and the break was repaired with Duck Tape and strap. Dieter cycled the vehicle up into Reykjavik, where the team was meanwhile putting up the tent on a campingspot just outside the city centre.

Coming from nothingness into the busy traffic of a big city almost induces a culture shock to the whole team. Dieter states: ‘Crazyness! That was a jump from 5 cars an hour to 5 cars a second!’

When everything was settled, Bernhard and Dieter started rightaway to work on the film and text materials, while Chris and Sabine took the chance to wash the sweat off the whale-pilgrims’ cloths- this time even in a washing machine!

Tomorrow the team will work on public relations, and afterwards continue their way to the north west of the country.

The following report will talk about reactions of the citizens, from here on whale watching regions will also be visited to spread the message.

Go to the latest videos of the tour