(JP)Govt supports unregulated trade in toothfish

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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20021030wo41.htm

 

Govt supports unregulated trade in toothfish

 

Yomiuri Shimbun

 

The government will oppose Australia's first proposal

to restrict the international trade in Patagonian

toothfish, called gin-mutsu in Japanese, at a meeting

of the signatory countries to the Washington

Convention starting Nov. 3 in Chile.

 

The government opposes the proposed restriction

because the fish is not believed to be in danger of

extinction and commercial fishing of it is

internationally approved, government sources said

Monday.

 

According to the sources, Japan will also call for

lifting bans on the international trade in minke

whales in the Northern Hemisphere and Bryde's whales

in the Northwestern Pacific. The country will also

support a proposal to resume the trade in ivory, which

has been submitted by four southern African

countries--Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South

Africa.

 

Drafts of amendments and resolutions to be discussed

at the meeting have already been submitted to the

secretariat of the treaty.

 

Australia submitted a proposal to regulate the

international trade in toothfish by revising the

treaty, saying illegal, unreported and unlicensed

fishing occurred frequently.

 

The sources said Australia's proposal apparently

targets Japan, which consumes a large amount of

Patagonian toothfish.

 

According to the Fishery Agency, about 40,000 tons of

the fish are caught in the Antarctic Ocean each year,

15,000 of which are imported to Japan.

 

The international ivory trade was completely banned

under the treaty in 1989. In 1997, Botswana, Namibia

and Zimbabwe were allowed to export ivory to Japan for

one time only.

 

This time, the three nations and South Africa called

for resuming the international ivory trade under

proper controls.

 

Zambia also requested permission for a one-time-only

export of its ivory.

 

Japan supported the African nations' requests, saying,

" We should protect wildlife through sustainable use. "

 

Concerned about poachers, however, India and Kenya

called for fully banning the international ivory

trade.

 

Mexico has submitted a resolution to respect the

decision of the International Whaling Commission on a

moratorium on commercial whaling. However, Japan

proposed resuming trade in minke and Bryde's whales,

saying the number of these whales had increased.

 

The contentious atmosphere is similar to that seen at

the IWC's annual meeting in May in Shimonoseki,

Yamaguchi Prefecture, meaning the debate between pro-

and antiwhaling nations could flare up again,

observers said.

 

Copyright 2002 The Yomiuri Shimbun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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