Whaling Commission Saved, Whales Still in Trouble

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

Here is the final IFAW/IWC press release issued last Friday on the last day of

the week-long meetings in Ulsan, Korea. The main takeaway, is that although

conservation minded groups outvoted pro-whaling countries - Japan will continue

to hunt whales for scientific purposes and also try to gain a majority at next

year's IWC so that commercial whaling will be sanctioned under the IWC. Patrick

Ramage, our director of Communications, just returned from the meetings in

Ulsan. Let me know if you would like to schedule an interview.

 

Thanks,

 

Kerry

 

 

 

Whaling Commission Saved, Whales Still in Trouble<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =

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(Ulsan, Korea - 24 June 2005) - The 57th annual meeting of the International

Whaling Commission (IWC) ended today following five days of unsuccessful

attempts by the Government of Japan to persuade the world body to endorse its

plans for increased whaling. Since an IWC ban on commercial whaling came into

effect in 1986, Japan has killed more than 8,000 whales, abusing an IWC

provision that permits whaling for scientific purposes.

 

 

 

Japan formally presented plans to double its " scientific " whaling in the

Southern Ocean Sanctuary around Antarctica and added endangered humpback and fin

whales to its target list at this week's session. A clear majority of IWC

member countries yesterday passed a strongly worded resolution calling on Japan

to withdraw its new scientific whaling plan.

 

 

 

" The conservation majority at the IWC is saved, but the whales are not. Japan

is killing hundreds of whales right now in the North Pacific and plans to kill a

thousand more in an IWC sanctuary around Antarctica later this year, " said Dr.

Joth Singh, IFAW Director of Wildlife and Habitat. " This week's rhetoric was

encouraging, but meaningful action by other countries is needed to stop Japan's

slaughter in the name of science. "

 

 

 

Japan was disappointed in its bid to deliver majority support for any of its

whaling proposals here, but its spokesperson vowed to that " the reversal of

history -- the turning point is soon to come " in the global body, which

maintained a narrow majority in favor of whale conservation throughout this

week's meeting. Four new members -Nauru, Gambia, Togo and Cameroon joined the

IWC days prior to this week's meeting. Japan has indicated it expects more new

members to join before the next IWC annual meeting to be held in St. Kitts and

Nevis next year.

 

 

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wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in

distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to

promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of

both animals and people.

 

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