Whaling - Grr!

The IWC (International Whaling Commission) held its 85th conference at St. Kitts in June, passing a resolution for the eventual resumption of commercial whaling by a majority of one vote. (33 countries voted for, 32 against, 1 abstained).Fortunately a 75% majority vote is required before an immediate return to these practices.

• In 1982/86 the IWC imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling in response to the depletion and devastation of the species leading to endangered status. Norway officially opposed the ban and continues to whale commercially. Japan initially opposed the ban but withdrew its objection following the threat of economic sanctions from the U.S.
• Japan and Iceland exploit a loophole allowing “ special permit” or scientific whaling, studying population, age, sex ration and mortality rates of whales so as to scientifically study whether whaling is sustainable, using lethal methodologies. Thinly veiled commercial whaling just entre nous?
• Scientific whaling is independent of international juristiction or control.
• Japanese scientific whaling utlilises the same boats, crew, equipment, in the same places as the commercial whaling operations did prior to the moratorium.
• The Institute conducting the 'scientific' research receives its funding from a consolidation of whaling companies, japanese fisheries and government subsidiaries which happen to conduct the collection, processing and wholesale of whale products. (anything appearing fishy yet?)
  

Ties between foreign aid and pro-whaling votes?

• Japan acknowledges in writing a 617 million yen donation to the host countries of this year's conference (who happened to vote in line with them)
• The Fisheries Agency of Japan operate what it calls a 'vote consolidation program' providing aid to the fisheries of small, developing countries who then happen to vote in line with them.
• There exists unsubstantiated allegations of paying the subscription fee of small, developing country members of the IWC in return for an accommodating pro-whaling vote.
• Japan lobbies for voting at the annual IWC conferences to be secret (see the retraction of their objection to the moratorium above).
• Japan endorse that commercial whaling is sustainable and furthermore that whales are responsible for the depletion in fish stocks.
• Japan voluntarily adheres to the rules of the IWC to be fair, whose rules are not international law.
• Japan disagree that the IWC is legally competent or interested in the management of small cetaceans, such as dolphins or porpoises, or that the IWC's remit should be include the welfare or killing methods of the large whales.
• Since it acquired the majority the IWC is now under the control of the pro-whaling coalition, who will set the agenda for the next annual conference.
• A week after the conference Japan announced it is increasing the catch allowance of its whaling fleet for two of the endangered species (as listed by the IWC), those being the Minke Whale and Fin Whale.