Fish nets threaten whale species

June 16, 2003

Fish nets threaten whale species, WWF seeks action

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GERMANY: June 16, 2003

BERLIN - Around 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die each year when

they become entangled in nets designed to catch fish, the World Wildlife

Fund (WWF) said.

The WWF said the new figures came from scientific experts for the

International Whaling Commission (IWC) which will hold its annual meeting in

Berlin on June 16-19 to review policy.

" This level of bycatch is significantly depleting and disrupting many

populations of whales, dolphins and porpoises which will lead to the loss of

several species in the next few decades if nothing is done, " said Andrew

Read, co-chair of the WWF's Cetacean Bycatch Task Force, in a statement.

Read, who jointly led the study into marine mammals, or cetaceans, said

experience had shown it was possible to reduce mortality of endangered

species while keeping fishing viable.

The WWF said it supported an initiative at the IWC meeting to limit

so-called bycatch as well the " Berlin Initiative " - a broader resolution to

form a conservation panel. The WWF said both would help alleviate the

bycatch problem which particularly hits smaller cetaceans, too weak to break

free from nets.

However, whaling nation Japan threatened last week to walk out of the IWC

meeting if the initiative was backed.

The " Berlin Initiative " might look like a positive, feel-good development

for the International Whaling Commission, but ultimately will be the final

blow to the already polarised and dysfunctional IWC, destroying its purpose,

Japan said.

Minoru Morimoto, Japan's Commissioner to the IWC, said adoption of the

" Berlin Initiative " was a devious strategy to end all sustainable use of

whale resources for food.

The annual meeting of the IWC has long been the scene of bitter battles

pitting conservationists against those such as Japan, where whale meat is a

pricey gourmet food.

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE

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