Day of whaling shame for Denmark
21 Jun 2006
Denmark has shattered the EU's anti-whaling unity by voting with the Japanese and Norwegian block of anti-conservation nations in the International Whaling Commission - an appalling move that WWF-UK condemns.
The decision by the Danish government to side with the Japanese group does not mean commercial whaling can start again, but has handed control of the IWC to pro-whaling nations by one vote. This means that after two decades where commercial whaling has been the subject of a global moratorium, the way may now be paved for changes in the IWC that could revive the hunting that pushed some of the biggest and most magnificent creatures ever to have lived on Earth to the edge of extinction.
The Japanese voting block in the IWC consists of many states that are widely believed to have voted with Japan for financial reasons rather than any conviction that the resumption of commercial whaling is acceptable. The group has issued a statement suggesting that whales are responsible for depleting the world's fish stocks. Denmark's vote handed this group power over the IWC.
Paul King, Director of Campaigns for WWF-UK said: "It is absolute rubbish to suggest that whales are responsible for the depletion of fish stocks around the globe when the Japanese, the EU and many other nations are plundering the seas of fish in a way that promises to leave them all but empty."
"The Danish Government at the IWC has undermined Europe's commitment to conservation in a move that I have no doubt will be roundly condemned by the international community, as well as by conservation organisations."
The move has also been strongly criticised by WWF-Denmark's Chief Executive Kim Carstensen.
"The vast majority of Danes are definitely against whaling and will not understand their government's decision. What is even more worrying is that Denmark has now voted for a resolution, which recommends that the IWC drops its work issues related to conservation and to environment - which is a precondition for any serious discussion of sustainable whaling," Mr Carstensen said.
Find out more
Rob McNeil, Senior Press Officer, WWF-UK
Phone: 01483 412374
Mobile: 07867 697519
Email: rmcneail@wwf.org.au
