The International Whaling Commission has yet again failed to reach an agreement between those nations that would hunt cetaceans and those that oppose all whaling. A key working group has failed to make a decision on Japan’s proposal that it phase out its controversial Antarctic hunts in return for being allowed to hunt minke whales in its own coastal waters.
The Small Working Group on the Future of the IWC is tasked with attempting to solve the issues related to Japanese coastal whaling, ‘special permit’ or ‘scientific whaling’ and sanctuaries. In the report of its 18 May meeting, it notes:
However, given the complexity and the sensitivity of the issues involved, it should not come as a surprise that it has thus far not been possible to secure agreement on key specifics … . The inter-relatedness of the three issues singled out cannot be overemphasized; hence the importance of the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
It notes that two working group members expressed concern that too much attention is being given to Japanese coastal whaling versus the more general issues of commercial whaling bans and management issues.
Although the report does not identify these members, Australia’s environment minister Peter ‘Burning Beds’ Garrett said, “We don’t consider a solution to this particular issue to be a reduction in whaling in one area and an increase in whaling in another. Until such time as the commission is able to reach a strong view about the appropriate ways of determining matters such as scientific whaling and other measures, then we will just continue to remain in the tough negotiation.” (The Age.)
Other coverage
Decision postponed on minke hunt off Japan – UPI
IWC delays decision on coastal whaling – Kyodo
Other whaling news
“The Federal Opposition has accused the [Australian] Government of secretly dropping its election promise to take Japan to the international court over its whaling program.” – ABC News
Image: Gulf of Maine Cod Project, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries; Courtesy of National Archives