Press release - April 1, 2014
Auckland, 1 April 2014 – In response to the International Court of Justice ruling today that the Japanese whaling programme is not scientific [1] Karli Thomas, Greenpeace New Zealand Oceans Campaigner said:
"This is a great day for whales and everyone who has campaigned against whaling.
"We welcome this outcome which vindicates our view that whaling in the South Ocean is not necessary for science and should be ended. We urge Japan to abide by this decision, scrap the factory ship Nisshin Maru and not attempt to continue whaling by amending the program and claiming it is now scientific.
"We call on Japan to join international programs underway in the Antarctic to study whales and the environment in order to contribute to recovery from whaling and other threats and to give its support in other international treaties to create a network of ocean sanctuaries in the Southern Ocean, protecting all components of the ecosystem, starting with the Ross Sea and other areas.
"Greenpeace will continue to monitor Japan’s so-called scientific whaling to ensure that they do not find any more loopholes to hunt whales."
Ends
[1] Official ICJ ruling: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/148/18162.pdf