SOS: It’s Time to Save the Whales Again

The web is swimming with whaling today. On Thursday April 22, (Earth Day of all days) a proposal to “Improve the Conservation of Whales” was presented to the International Whaling Commission for adoption at their upcoming annual conference in June.

The proposal, if adopted, will bring back commercial whaling as a viable enterprise for the first time in 24 years. It seems to craft this legitimizing of slaughter under the guise of conservation, something environmental groups say is a red herring.

Greenpeace U.S. Oceans Campaigner Phil Kline said it is “outrageous to allow whaling in an internationally-recognized whale sanctuary” in the Southern Ocean.

“Saying you are opposed to commercial whaling, but supporting quotas to kill whales, is disingenuous and merely political posturing towards Japan. It is also a less than auspicious way to mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.”

However, the proposal would reduce the total number of whales being slaughtered, says the IWC Chair Cristian Maquieira. “For the first time since the adoption of the commercial whaling moratorium, we will have strict, enforceable limits on all whaling operations. As a result, several thousand less whales will be killed over the period of the agreement. In addition, no other IWC countries will be permitted to start hunting whales during the period.”

So what’s up? Aren’t enforceable limits and lower quotas good?

No.

The proposal will legitimize Japan, Iceland and Norway hunts with proposed lower limits. But the New Zealand government says the proposal is not acceptable as the numbers of whales actually caught already falls short of the quota, meaning there will be no real reduction in whales killed. New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister says the proposal is offensive and falls seriously short of providing a strong basis for a diplomatic solution.

According to the Australia News Network, “Japan says it will push for higher whale cull quotas than those outlined in the new compromise plan. The nation currently has an upper target of more than 900 whales in its annual Antarctic hunts, and the IWC offer is very different from what Tokyo argued for. Japan’s annual Antarctic hunt has infuriated Australia, which has threatened legal action.”

According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals, “This proposal shows just how far out of touch the IWC is with modern values – it entirely misses the point that blasting whales with exploding harpoons is grossly inhumane. Moves to resuscitate the world’s dying whaling industries are a huge backwards step for animal welfare and conservation globally.”

Now that the proposal is public, member countries of the International Whaling Commission will make their decisions to support it — or push back.

An outcry now — in the days and hours before these countries decide their positions — could stiffen the spines of those who want to protect whales by keeping whaling illegal.

Avaaz has launched a last-moment petition which will be delivered to the delegates to the IWC every time we raise 100,000 signatures — sign here and forward this message:

Photo Credits

Greenpeace

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