Got Whale?

PEJ News - C. L. Cook - Following more than 20 years of limits on whaling and international protection of several species of whale, the IWC is considering lifting moratoria on the killing of the ocean mammals and reintroducing hunting.

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Got Whale?
International Whaling Commission Set to Expand Hunt
C. L. Cook
pej.org
June 19, 2005

An initiative led by whaling nations and sitting IWC members, Japan, Norway, and Iceland, could lead to the resumption of commercial whale hunting worldwide. Already, legal loopholes within the current moratorium allows the most whales killed for "scientific" purposes since the 1985 moratorium was introduced. The results of the "scientific" provision means more than 1300 whales gracing dinner plates in Japan every year. Norway and Iceland will kill an estimated 800 and 25 whales respectively this year, citing another loophole that hinges on their rejection of the original ban.

The 62 member-nation IWC is currently stacked with more than a dozen smaller countries, some with "cultural" ties to whaling, receiving financial aid from Japan and are expected to vote with the Asian whaling leader in upcoming policy votes. As a result, pro-whaling factions have majority control of the international body responsible for regulating all whaling.

Britain, New Zealand, and the United States who oppose the re-introduction of commercial whale hunting will face off tomorrow in South Korea as the IWC meets to tackle future quotas and the issue of continuing the moratorium. And now, China too plans to use the meetings to take a swipe at Japan. The Koreans have had an ambiguous relationship with whaling; whale meat is openly available in many restaurants in Korea, though the nation has voted on both sides of the issue in the past.

The British, Campaign Whale says the IWC prohibitions are ineffective. Spokesperson Andy Ottaway says, "It is ironic that I can come here, see people openly selling and eating whale meat, in the host country of this year's meeting,when they are not supposed to catch any whales."

He adds, "The fact that such illegal trade goes on under the very noses of the commission is ludicrous and demonstrates that the ban on whaling, or rules for its resumption, are absolutely meaningless without proper enforcement."

Other animal welfare groups say there is no firm scientific certainty on existing whale populations, and cite the cruelty of current hunting methods that routinely sees the animals suffering before death, and maybe being flayed alive.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals, has said: "Any deal on whaling would be a backward step for animal welfare. We are in grave danger of seeing a system adopted that would sanction the cruel killing of whales."

For their part, the Japanese and Norwegian contingent claim the recovery of species like the Minke whale is responsible for the perceived decline in fish stocks, and they must be culled.



Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, a weekly public affairs program, broad/webcast from the University of Victoria, Canada. He also serves as a contributing editor to pej.org. You can check out the GR Blog here.