Guest guest Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 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 HotJobs - Search new jobs daily now http://hotjobs./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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