The Yushin Maru catcher ship of the Japanese whaling fleet injures a whale with its first harpoon attempt, and takes a further three harpoon shots before finally killing the badly injured fleeing whale. Finally they drowned the mammal beneath the harpooon deck of the ship to kill it.
Vote 1: On the
opening day of the meeting,Japan moved to have any reference for a
discussion on conservation ofsmall cetaceans (dolphins and
porpoises) to be struck from theagenda. This vote had been
expected by many to demonstratethat pro-whaling nations had a
majority. Instead they weredefeated 32 votes to 30.
UPDATE2: Much of our team in St Kitts hasbeen arrested
during a
peacefulprotest.
UPDATE 1: But we lost this one...
By a vote of 33 to 32 with one abstention, the IWC adopted on
Sunday something called "The St. Kitts Declaration"which lays out the
whaler's case for a return to whaling, and declaresa commitment to
"normalize" the functions of the IWC. Aside from,de facto,
declaring a commitment to end the moratorium on commercialwhaling,
its most significant implication is that it will be used tosay that
the IWC has accepted that the consumption of fish by whalesmeans
that the resumption of whaling is a matter of food security
forcoastal nations. We say the idea of whales being responsible
forfisheries depletion is the equivalent of blaming woodpeckers
fordeforestation.
Vote 2: Japan's call for secret ballots was defeated by
33 votes to30. Transparency and openness at the IWC was narrowly
preserved.
Vote 3:
The third vote was on Japan's request for an exemption tothe
moratorium on commercial whaling - so they could hunt 150
minkewhales and 150 Brydes whales in their own territorial waters.
This year they came closer than ever before to achieving a
majority onsuch a vote, which they have pushed every year for the
last twodecades. This year they lost 31 against, 30 in favour -
with fourabstentions.
Vote 4: A
resolution vote to end the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Japan
lost this one 33 to 28.
Vote 5:A
Resolution on the safety of vessels engaged in whaling and
whaleresearch-related activities. Vote adopted by consensus with a
reservation by St Kitts and Nevis.
In what amounted to a international diplomatic version of a
group hug,pro and anti whaling nations found common ground near the
end of thisIWC meeting, by adopting a resolution endorsing the
right to protest onthe high seas while asking everyone to, "keep it
safe out there".Full text is here.
The second paragraph says "Whereas the Commission and
ContractingGovernments support the right to legitimate and peaceful
forms ofprotest and demonstration" … so the IWC, which includes
Japan, supportsthe right to peaceful protest. Not a bad result for
an agenda itemoriginallydesigned to throw us out! Needless to say,
we are happy to be able tocontinue our work inside the IWC - to
support our work outside of it.
But despite these knife edged victories, all is not well for
thewhales. The conference still has two more days to go. Andthis
winter, the Japanese whaling fleet will return to the SouthernOcean
Whale Sanctuary, where under a self allotted quota they will takeup
to 935 minke whales and ten endangered fin whales.
In response, we have pledged our own return to the Sanctuary -
to onceagain put ourselves between whale and harpoon, and continue
to use allpeaceful means to protect the whales.
Read reports from our team on the ground at the IWC.