As the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting ended in London today, Greenpeace stressed that Japanese vote buying (1) has prevented vital steps from being taken to protect the world's remaining whale populations, such as the creation of South Pacific and South Atlantic whale sanctuaries. Greenpeace also warned that the threats posed to all whale populations by man- made environmental degradation of the oceans are being grossly under estimated. (2) "Japanese vote buying has cast a shadow over this week's meeting and looks set to continue. This pattern of corruption is undermining the very fabric of the IWC and, if it goes unchecked, it's only a matter of time before Japan buys its way back to a resumption of commercial whaling. It's clearly wrong that the future of whales should hang in the balance because of Japan's dirty politics," said Greenpeace whale campaigner, Richard Page.
The most disturbing report of the IWC meeting was made by its Scientific Committee which observed that the Western North Pacific Gray Whale population is reduced to less than one hundred individuals of which there are only 12 adult females bearing calves. It also noted that some individuals are 'skinny' and that the ratio of males to females is two to one. Member states agreed to in a resolution to "actively pursue all practicable actions" to eliminate man-made mortality. Japan was the only country to oppose this resolution.
"Japan's refusal to endorse moves to protect this critically endangered great whale population demonstrates its total contempt for whales and whales conservation. The future of the Western North Pacific Gray Whale is in immediate jeopardy but all whale populations are facing a frightening array of environmental threats (3)," said Page.
"It's ironic that, although it is internationally acknowledged that the world's oceans are seriously degraded, some nations are still in denial as to the consequences these threats pose to whale populations and are still hell bent on a return to commercial whaling," he concluded.
The IWC also called on Japan to stop commercial whaling which it has continued year on year under the guise of 'scientific' research in the Southern Ocean and in the North Pacific Ocean. It also urged Norway to stop commercial whaling and not to resume the export of whale products to Japan.
Notes to editors:
(1) Japan publicly admitted to buying votes of developing countries in return for Overseas Development Assistance on ABC TV last week
(2) See the new Greenpeace report "Whales in a Degraded Ocean"
(3) Namibia and Gabon, who recently signed lucrative fisheries deals with Japan, have now become observers of the IWC. It is expected that by next year's IWC meeting in Shimonoseki, Japan, May 2002, Namibia and Gabon will have become fully fledged members and will vote in support of Japan and Norway's pro- whaling initiatives.
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