Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 2 • Number 8 • 2nd May 2002
Whaling Talks Kick Off with Japan Pushing for Commercialisation
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Discussions at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which began on 25 April, have so far largely focused on Japan’s request to lift the ban on commercial whaling. Japan and Norway are looking for a three-quarters majority vote in favour of resuming commercial whaling. Although the two whaling nations have to date been unsuccessful with their request to resume commercial whaling, concern is growing among environmental groups that votes might be changing. “The balance of (pro-whaling and anti-whaling) countries is a big issue that we are very worried about,” according to Nanami Kurasawa of Tokyo’s Dolphin and Whale Action Network. Joji Morishita, Deputy Director of the Fisheries Agency’s Far Seas Fisheries Division echoed the concern of environmentalists: “For a long time, the anti-whaling side has had a simple majority but this is now changing. The two sides are in a similar power balance, and the voting is very close now.” However, Nicky Grandy from the IWC Secretariat said that before commercial whaling could resumed, a key management plan would have to be in place, which is unlikely to be finalised during this meeting. The pro- and anti-whaling camps mainly disagree over the actual number of whales, and whether all whale species are threatened or not. The IWC Scientific Committee is scheduled to meet from 25 April to 7 May, followed by a number of Commission sub-groups. The plenary session, which is the only meeting open to the public, will take place on 20-24 May.
“Whaling: International Commission debates easing moratorium,” AP, 26 April 2002; “Japan pushes for restart of commercial whaling,” REUTERS, 26 April 2002.
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