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The burning issue at this year’s IWC meeting will be the future of the organisation itself. If the IWC is to transform itself into a modern organisation, Japan must first end its fraudulent “scientific” Southern Ocean whaling program, which provides the single greatest source of discord within the international body
IWC needs an overhaul
Although the IWC ended commercial whaling in 1986, it has done nothing to stop the Japanese government from exploiting a loophole in the moratorium against whaling in the Southern Ocean. In the 20 years since then, hundreds of whales continued to be slaughtered.
The IWC still needs to end the transition from a body that regulates the hunting of whales to one that coordinates the conservation and research of whales. Attempts to push this so called “modernisation” by way of a small working group are yet to see results.
Even Australia’s Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, acknowledges that there is likely to be little outcome from this year's talkfest.
Background on the International Whaling Commission and why we need change (pop-up)
Australia leading the way but should toughen stand against Japan
Thanks to strong public support for whales in Australia, our government has led efforts by the pro-conservation countries to modernise the IWC from a Whaling Commission to a Commision for the Whales.At this year’s IWC, the Australian government will put forward a proposal for change. It would see the IWC become an organisation with a conservation agenda for whales worldwide. The Australian government has backed its proposal up with a $1.5 million contribution towards the realisation of such a Commission.
Meanwhile, though, the Australian government has failed to set out a plan that sees an end to Japanese ‘scientific’ whaling if the current talks don’t work. Australia needs to be prepared to escalate the pressure upon the Japanese Government if no clear progress to stop Southern Ocean Whaling is made in Madeira.
Whaling scandal and the Tokyo Two
Junichi Sato, one of the Tokyo Two who are being wrongly prosecuted by the Japanese Government for exposing corruption within the whaling industry, will be attending this year’s IWC meeting.Greenpeace is asking the Australian Government to demand that the IWC investigate the scandal the Tokyo Two exposed last year.
