(JP) New whaling sanctuaries rejected

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1999000/1999931.stm

 

BBC News

Tuesday, 21 May, 2002, 11:34 GMT 12:34 UK

New whaling sanctuaries rejected

 

Conservationists have suffered a setback at the annual

meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC)

in Japan.

 

Delegates voted down proposals for the creation of two

new whale sanctuaries aimed at protecting the species.

 

Japan and Norway led the pro-whaling nations in

opposing the plans which have been turned down in the

past as well.

 

There are currently two whale sanctuaries - in the

Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean - where no whaling

is permitted, even for scientific research.

 

Earlier, the delegation from Iceland walked out of the

meeting after its application for membership was

rejected for the second year running.

 

Divisions

 

The proposals for new sanctuaries in the South Pacific

and the South Atlantic failed to muster the

three-quarters majority to be passed.

 

Explaining his country's vote against, the head of the

Japanese delegation, Minoru Morimoto, said there was

" no scientific basis for whale sanctuaries " .

 

Japan and its supporters say sanctuaries are

unnecessary because whales are already protected by a

1986 whaling moratorium.

 

On the other side of the argument, Australia and New

Zealand say that populations of some whale species are

still dangerously low and sanctuaries are vital to

their survival.

 

Despite losing the vote, however, they said they were

encouraged - the proposed sanctuaries got more votes

this year than last year.

 

" I think today's outcome is positive and a step

forward towards the establishment of a whale sanctuary

in the South Pacific, " said New Zealand Conservation

Minister Sandra Lee.

 

" All goes well for the future. I'm a perpetual

optimist, " she said.

 

Iceland walks off

 

After the Icelandic bid for membership of the IWC was

rejected - an unexpected victory for the anti-whaling

camp - its delegation walked out of the meeting.

 

The country, which wanted to join the IWC while

reserving the right to ignore the moratorium on

commercial whaling, has accused the organisation of

behaving illegally.

 

" It has gone too far, " Iceland Whaling Commissioner

Stefan Asmundsson said. " We cannot accept it. "

 

" We can't sit here and appear to be a party to this

illegal act, " said Mr Asmundsson.

 

He hinted that Iceland might consider resuming

commercial whaling without the IWC's approval, but he

said the country would review the situation and

explore its options first.

 

Iceland has had non-voting observer status since its

delegates walked out of an IWC meeting 10 years ago to

protest against the commission's anti-whaling stance.

 

Bitter divisions

 

BBC correspondent Clive Myrie, who is at the meeting,

says the whole conference has been marked by

in-fighting, acrimony and bitterness.

 

The pro-whaling lobby argues that global whale stocks

mean a certain amount of commercial whaling should be

allowed.

 

But many European Union countries, the United States

and others believe stocks are too low for full whaling

to resume.

 

Japan, which has also lost a vote to expand its

coastal catch of minke whales, has been leading the

drive for a resumption of commercial whaling, banned

15 years ago.

 

Environmental groups have accused Japan of buying the

votes of new members with development aid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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