Japan accused of hunting protected whale species

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http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1419401.htm

 

Japan accused of hunting protected whale species

 

The World Today - Thursday, 21 July , 2005 12:30:00

Reporter: Brendan Trembath

 

ELEANOR HALL: There are calls this lunchtime for

Australia to be a more pragmatic player in the

International Whaling Commission.

 

Ocean expert Jean-Michael Cousteau, the son of the

late Jacques Cousteau, says genetic testing confirms

that the blue whale is now on sale at Japanese fish

markets. Blue whale is one of the species Japan is not

allowed to kill under IWC rules.

 

And today's revelation has encouraged calls from

conservationists for the Australian Government to be

more aggressive monitoring Japan's annual whale hunt,

instead of focusing on the push for greater whale

protection.

 

This report from Brendan Trembath.

 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Ocean expert Jean-Michel Cousteau

accuses Japan of poaching protected whale species,

including the biggest and one of the most endangered

whales of them all Ethe blue whale.

 

He says blue whale meat has been sold at Japanese

markets.

 

JEAN-MICHALE COUSTEAU: You can go on the fish market

in Tokyo and find all kinds of whale meat for sale and

some of the meat occasionally elements have been

picked up and analysed for DNA, you know that they are

some of the species that they are not supposed to

capture.

 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: The blue whale is much bigger than a

bus and louder than one too. Researchers say the

mammals' low frequency songs can hit 188 decibels.

 

(Whale sounds)

 

These whales have impressed Jean Michel Cousteau,

who's been diving since he was seven. His late father,

oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, was the co-inventor of

the underwater breathing equipment used by most

divers.

 

JACQUES COUSTEAU: I've dived with many, many whales

Egrey whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, yes,

many times since I was seven years of age, and this

was 60 years ago. So I've been diving 60 years last

month.

 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Japan has always maintained its

scientific whaling program is about real science.

Japanese officials say whales are killed to determine

their age and what they eat. Blue whales, though, are

not on the list of whales Japan is allowed to catch.

 

The Fisheries Division's International Negotiations was not available for an interview.

 

Jean-Michel Cousteau says Japan should admit its

whaling program is a lie.

 

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU: They have to say things the way

they are and not hide behind scientific research as an

excuse to kill those whales.

 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Whale researchers say blue whales

are found in both hemispheres of the world.

 

Peter Harrison, the Director of the Whale Research

Centre at Southern Cross University, says it's a

mystery how blue whale meat ends up in Japanese

markets.

 

PETER HARRISON: It's not entirely certain how these

species end up as part of the meat market situation,

but in some cases it appears that some of these

protected species are actually killed as part of

becoming entangled in netting operations close to

shore, not necessarily as an active part of whaling

with exploding harpoons, etc.

 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Even if the International Whaling

Commission returned to a program of independent

monitoring of whaling ships, Peter Harrison from

Southern Cross University says Australia would be

unlikely to take part.

 

He says Australia would not want to be seen to be

endorsing Japan's scientific whaling program.

 

PETER HARRISON: Essentially, Australia and all the

other conservation nations in the IWC argue against

the continuation of this special permit whaling under

the guise of scientific research, and therefore it

would be problematic in terms of putting observers

from these nations on those ships, because that in

fact gives it some form of credibility.

 

ELEANOR HALL: Peter Harrison from Southern Cross

University speaking to Brendan Trembath. And a

spokeswoman for Environment Minister Ian Campbell says

the ministry is investigating Mr Cousteau's statement.