IWC talks crucial, U.S. official says

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http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20020519a9.htm

 

WHALE WATCHING

 

IWC talks crucial, U.S. official says

 

By MICK CORLISS

Staff writer

 

The international whaling meeting that opens Monday is

the most important in 15 years, and its outcome is as

hard to predict as it is significant, according to the

head of the U.S. delegation.

 

The International Whaling Commission plenary session

is being held in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

 

" It is still a little early to get a take on the major

issues. But this is absolutely the most important

meeting since the moratorium (decided on in 1982 and

in place since 1986), " U.S. IWC Commissioner Rolland

Schmitten told The Japan Times on Friday.

 

For the first time in years, countries in support of

commercial whaling could outnumber those who are

opposed to the industry.

 

Schmitten said he had just received word that

land-locked Mongolia had applied to join the IWC,

while Palau, Benin, Gabon and San Marino are also

expected to be new members participating in the IWC

voting for the first time later this week.

 

" It is very suspect that countries with little

interest in whaling are suddenly joining the IWC, " he

said, when asked about speculation that Japanese

official development aid is being used to recruit

allies for those countries that favor whaling.

 

" (If it is occurring) I think it violates the spirit

and intent of the IWC. If we have hard evidence that

that is occurring we will raise that (issue) to the

IWC, " Schmitten said.

 

Prior to the ongoing 54th IWC annual gathering in

Shimonoseki, the commission had 43 members.

 

Schmitten also expressed doubt about Japan's proposal

to take 50 North Pacific sei whales to study

" food-ecology " and the whales' impact on fisheries.

The whales generally feed on plankton.

 

Schmitten said it was premature to comment on what

steps the United States might take, which could

include levying sanctions, to induce Japan to abandon

its expanded take.

 

Although the outcome is too close to call as it is

within a vote either way at the moment, he predicted

that Iceland could hold the deciding vote.

 

Iceland left the IWC in 1992 to hunt outside of the

organization's rules. It is looking to return as a

voting member with a provision allowing it to hunt

whales if progress is not made on repealing the

moratorium. The issue will be put to a vote Monday.

 

But even if whaling nations do command a majority,

Schmitten, director of the Habitat Division for the

National Marine Fisheries Service, said it would not

greatly affect policy.

 

" There would still be a strong desire, a sense of

conservation, and I wouldn't say that it had become a

prowhaling organization, " he said.

 

Schmitten also said the U.S. is opposed to commercial

whaling, but is working on a plan for the resumption

of whaling in the future.

 

Schmitten said the U.S. is committed to completing a

management plan -- the Revised Management Scheme -- to

allow controlled commercial whaling if the ban is ever

repealed.

 

" (The RMS) is nothing more than a management plan. It

is good science because someday they may take a vote

on 10e (the moratorium) and if the moratorium is

lifted, we don't want chaos. We want an orderly

process to manage the resumption of whaling if that

should ever happen. "

 

Still, in the short term Schmitten said he sees no

prospect for lifting the moratorium on commercial

whaling.

 

" The point is that there are still very endangered

whales in the world and we still do not have enough

information on them, " he said.

 

The Japan Times: May 19, 2002

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