Japan's bid to resume commercial whaling foiled
22 Jun 2005
Japan's proposal at the International Whaling Commission on Tuesday to reopen commercial whaling under its draft 'Revised Management Scheme' was resolutely rejected by 29 countries, with 23 in support and 5 abstentions.
Under the procedures of the IWC, a Revised Management Scheme would need a three quarters majority. However, a majority vote backing Japan's proposal would have indicated increasing influence and moral support for the pro whaling bloc.
Commenting on the vote, Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF's Global Species Programme said: "The RMS proposed by Japan was inherently flawed and failed to address several critical issues including the ongoing abuse of scientific whaling.
In effect this proposal was an attempt to hoodwink the international community by reopening commercial whaling without placing any real safeguards in place."
This RMS also would have eliminated the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling, in force since 1986, and eliminated the current IWC sanctuaries in the Indian and Southern Oceans.
Two days into the IWC, familiar patterns of stalemate between pro and anti whaling countries mean that little conservation or management can move forward.
WWF welcomes a recommendation from the government of the Netherlands to reform the IWC in the near future, including a possible high level ministerial level conference on key IWC issues.
