Sad day for the IWC
19 Jun 2006
St Kitts and Nevis - Japan's recruitment drive to bring pro-whaling, anti-conservation countries into the International Whaling Commission has finally succeeded.
Pro whaling countries obtained a narrow majority - 33 to 32 with one abstention from China - showing an abdication of responsibility by the global community, WWF said today at the 58th IWC meeting.
The vote for the so called "St Kitts and Nevis Declaration", a non legally binding statement asks for a "normalisation" of the IWC - which according to Japan and its supporters - means it should return to its original 1946 mandate to regulate whaling, rather than concentrate also on conservation issues.
The St Kitts and Nevis Declaration also attempts to bring into question the scientific rationale for the global ban on whale hunting in 1986 and also slams non governmental organisations. It also purports to give legitimacy to the scientifically invalid claim that whale populations are responsible for the decline in the world's fisheries.
"We are saddened and disappointed that instead of building consensus on difficult issues, this declaration has brought both sides to the brink of open conflict. WWF agrees that the IWC has serious deficiencies and needs modernisation and reform, but this declaration takes the IWC in the wrong direction," said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director, WWF Global Species Programme.
This is the first time in decades that there is a pro-whaling majority in the IWC.
WWF says it is a shallow political victory for the whaling countries and their allies - and the organisation hopes this will be a wake up call to conservation-minded countries and peoples of the world.
"At a critical juncture in conservation globally, when whales and other marine species are threatened by a range of threats, including climate change, bycatch, ship strikes, and other threats, it is sad to see the IWC moving backwards; WWF hopes it is only temporary," add Dr Susan Lieberman.
Many of the countries that opposed the resolution stated for the record that they disassociated themselves from the declaration. Of the 17 EU members of the IWC, only Denmark voted for the proposal.
There is no guarantee that other critical votes will be lost. The moratorium on whaling will stay in place as it needs a three quarter majority to be overturned.
However, it shows that the IWC is poised on a knife edge between conserving whales and dolphins and returning to becoming a "whalers' club", added WWF.
Find out more
Joanna Benn, Communications Manager, WWF Global Species Programme
Phone: +39 348 726 7313
