Posts Tagged ‘whaling’

EXPOSED: Japan buys votes for whaling!!

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

British newspaper ‘The Sunday Times’ led an investigation in to allegations that Japan has been bribing smaller nations to vote in favour of allowing commercial whaling to recommence after a 24 year ban!

Many land-locked and/or poor countries have recently joined the International Whaling Commission after receiving large sums of  ‘aid’  from Japan and several countries have admitted they vote ‘pro-whaling’ because of the ”help” Japan has given them.

You can read the article in full here.

It appears that Japan is recruiting small nations in need of financial aid to join the whaling commission to bolster the number of pro-whaling votes. When the ban came in to place in 1986 anti-whaling countries far out-numbered pro-whaling nations. However over the years more pro-whaling nations have joined the commission – some of them completly land-locked.  Most of the anti-whaling nations are European with the notable exceptions of Denmark and Norway. However Europe must vote as a block and if they can’t agree all 22 European members will have to abstain from the vote – further bolstering Japans chances of success!

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Give Whales A Voice @ IWC

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) will be meeting on 21st June to discuss a possible lifting of the commercial whaling ban. The IWC regulates the whaling industry and is responsible for the ban on commercial whaling which came in to force in 1986.  However the commission is largely focused on regulating the whaling industry so that it can be sustainable and the ban had little to do with animal welfare. Whale stocks were hunted to near extinction and a ban was necessary.  However three countries; Japan, Norway and Iceland have continued to hunt whales. Iceland and Norway have objected to the ban and set their own hunting quotas – ignoring international law. Japan operates it’s whaling industry under the guise of ’scientific’; research – the ban allows for limited whaling in the interest of scientific research. Australia have recently filed a suit claiming that Japanese whaling has nothing to do with science and is more commercially motivated.

At the upcoming meeting members will vote on a deal which will see the end to the ban and legitimize commercial whaling. The proposal would allow the three countries that have defied the ban to hunt legally provided they kill less whales than they have been doing illegally. This is a ridiculous proposal, it’s like telling a criminal that their activities are no longer illegal but as a trade-off they can no longer commit the crime so often. Firstly they probably won’t listen because they have already shown they have no respect for the law. Secondly, the international community should not bow to bully nations throwing their weight around. Thirdly, it completely disregards the fact that whaling is inherently inhumane and as such should not be inflicted on any number of whales.

How to Help

I have scouted around the net for various ways you can show governments and the IWC that you do not want to lift the ban on commercial whaling:

1. Everybody can sign this petition to the Norwegian Government  here

2. Everybody can join WSPA Australia’s campaign to give the whales a voice. They are asking everyone to record messages to the International Whaling Commission which they will take to the meeting on June 21st here

3.  In America you can write a letter to your senator asking them to support the International Whale Conservation Protection Act here. The USA is as ever a key decision maker and it id vital that they vote against lifting the ban.

4.  Email the International Whaling Commission to tell them what you think at secretariat@iwcoffice.org

5. In this international community it is important that we all show our national representatives how we feel.  You can find the name of the representative of your country in the IWC  here.  Please contact them and tell them how you would like your country to vote.

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Australia Files Law Suit Against Japan over Whaling

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

Australia took a decisive step to protect whales, filing a suit in the International Court of Justice against Japan’s “scientific whaling” in the Southern Ocean. The suit seeks an injunction to bar Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean Whaling Sanctuary a 50-million square kilometer area surrounding the continent of Antarctica, where the IWC has banned all types of commercial whaling.

This news comes as the International Whaling Commision meet to discuss a possible compromise with whaling nations that would allow them  to resume commercial whaling with the understanding that they abide by quotas. The IWC is the body responsible for the management of whaling and its main purpose is to regulate the whaling industry. Established in 1946, in 2008 it has over 79 member countries.

Australia claims that Japan has abused its right to conduct scientific research whaling under Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, which provides for a scientific exemption. They also assert that Japan has breached the terms of CITES by hunting endangered whale species.  In 2008-09 Japan killed 1,004 whales, including 681 in the Southern Ocean. Since the moratorium came into effect, more than 33,000 whales have been killed under the scientific exemption clause.

The Australians are willing to call Japanese whaling what it is — a mockery of science and a crime against nature. Lets hope the rest of the international community back them up on this one!

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Cold hearts of Iceland revealed in illegal exports of whale meat

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Icelandic government records state that the country is exporting meat from slaughtered whales to Latvia and Denmark, as well as Japan – in defiance of international law and a global whaling ban.

Data from Statistics Iceland, the source for official Icelandic government statistics, show a number of recent exports of whale products from Iceland to the three countries. Exports to Denmark and Latvia are contrary to EU law, even if the products are re-exported. International trade in whale products is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Exports to Latvia have been confirmed by the Latvian authorities, which have promised a full investigation, which is welcomed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which is deeply concerned about illegal international trade in whale products, particularly due to current discussion over a relaxation of the worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Although both minke and fin whales have been hunted by Iceland in recent years, the products concerned are likely to be from fin whales, an endangered species.

As one of the world’s leading animal welfare organisations, IFAW has representation in 16 countries and carries out its animal welfare work in more than 40. IFAW works from its global headquarters in the United States and focuses its campaigns on improving the welfare of wild and domestic animals by reducing the commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats and assisting animals in distress. IFAW works both on the ground and in the halls of government to safeguard wild and domestic animals and seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of both animals and people. Visit their website here.

Source: PR Canada.net

Anna Claxton

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