IWC

Japan votes against protecting last 100 Western North Pacific gray whales

Last edited 27 July 2001 at 8:00am
International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

The delegation of Japan showed its true colours today by voting against a proposal that encouraged all nations to treat as a matter of absolute urgency any measures that would help to protect a small population of Western North Pacific Gray Whales.

This population is down to about 100 individuals and is listed as critically endangered in the same way as the black rhinoceros, mountain gorilla and Southern blue-fin tuna.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, oceans, western north pacific gray whales, whaling

Revised Management Scheme vote withdrawn

Last edited 27 July 2001 at 8:00am
IWC53: entrance

IWC53: entrance

At today's IWC the voting on the Revised Management Scheme did not go ahead after being withdrawn from the agenda by the Chair. Greenpeace supports the Chair in this decision, stating that,

"The IWC acted responsibly by not agreeing to a management scheme that would have led to the resumption of commercial whaling, especially in view of the fact that whales are faced with a number of serious environmental threats such as chemical pollution, noise pollution climate change and over-fishing."

"In addition, history has shown us that commercial whaling cannot be managed and has always led to gross over-exploitation and depletion of stocks."

Article tagged as: IWC, oceans, revised management scheme, whaling

Japan tries to obstruct moves to protect critically endangered whale population

Last edited 27 July 2001 at 8:00am
27 July, 2001

Greenpeace expressed outrage today at Japan's decision to vote against a proposal to protect the critically endangered Western North Pacific Gray Whale - of which there are believed to be less than 100 left.

Japan was the only country to vote against a proposal at the International Whaling Conference (IWC) to 'safeguard' the remaining whales which are listed as 'critically endangered' by the World Conservation Union - putting them in the same bracket as the black rhinoceros and mountain gorilla.

Article tagged as: conservation, IWC, oceans, press releases, western north pacific gray whales, whaling

British ex-whaler speaks out in support of the global whaling ban

Last edited 25 July 2001 at 8:00am
Ex-whaler John BurtonBritish ex-whaler John Burton worked on British whaling ships in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He is attending the International Whaling Commission meeting this week to relate his experiences of life onboard a factory whaling vessel, and explain why he now supports a ban on commercial whaling. You can read his story here:
Article tagged as: IWC, oceans, whales, whaling

Japanese vote buying sinks South Pacific Whale Sanctuary

Last edited 24 July 2001 at 8:00am
International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

IWC conference update: day 2

Bad news today at the IWC when measures to further protect the world's whales were undermined when South Pacific nations were denied their right to a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary (SPWS). Opposition from Japan, Norway and the block of countries that vote with Japan in return for Overseas Development Aid, prevented the sanctuary proposal from achieving the three quarters majority it needed to be adopted.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, norway, oceans, whaling

Japanese vote buying sinks South Pacific Whale Sanctuary

Last edited 24 July 2001 at 8:00am
24 July, 2001

Measures to further protect the world's whales were today undermined when South Pacific nations were denied their right to a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary (SPWS). Opposition from Japan, Norway and the block of countries that vote with Japan in return for Overseas Development Aid (1), prevented the sanctuary proposal from achieving the three quarters majority it needed to be adopted.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, oceans, press releases, sanctuaries, south pacific, whaling

Greenpeace urges Norway to condemn Japanese vote buying

Last edited 24 July 2001 at 8:00am
Greenpeace action against whaling in NorwayAs the International Whaling Commission meets in London this week, Greenpeace urged the Norwegian Prime Minister to publicly distance Norway from its traditional pro-whaling ally, Japan.


This follows last week's startling admission from a senior Japanese official that Japan has been using development aid to buy votes at the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Article tagged as: IWC, london, norway, oceans, sanctuaries, vote buying, whaling

Whale watching and Caribbean island tourism

Last edited 23 July 2001 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
23 July, 2001

The Global whale watching industry

Download the report:
Article tagged as: IWC, reports, whale watching, whaling

Norwegian whaling - an export driven industry

Last edited 23 July 2001 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
23 July, 2001

Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993 despite the fact that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on all commercial whaling had been in effect since 1986. The political party in government in Norway at the time took the decision in order to stem the decline in its popularity with voters in northern Norway. It was able to do so because Norway lodged an objection to the IWC's moratorium decision in 1982 and so is not technically bound by it.

Download the report:
Article tagged as: IWC, reports, whale blubber, whaling

Vote Buying: Japan's strategy to secure a return to large-scale whaling

Last edited 23 July 2001 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
23 July, 2001

Japan's agenda within the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is self-evident - it wants a return to large-scale commercial whaling and is prepared to go to extreme lengths to achieve its goal. Unable to persuade the IWC to lift the current moratorium on commercial whaling Japan has, since the early 1990s, been openly operating a "vote consolidation operation"1 . The primary purpose of this operation is to recruit new member states to the IWC that will vote with Japan in favour of commercial whaling.

Download the report:
Article tagged as: IWC, japan, reports, vote buying, whaling