Greenpeace action against Japanese whaling in Southern Ocean.
While the South Pacific and South Atlantic whale sanctuaries
were defeated at today´s IWC meeting, the only Caribbean country
with a whaling quota voted with its own voice, creating a break in
the bloc of six eastern Carribean states that usually votes with
Japan.
"We applaud St Vincent and the Grenadines for speaking with
their own voice and supporting the bid for the South Pacific and
Atlantic Whale Sanctuaries by abstaining from the vote," says
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Oceans Campaigner Pio Manoa.
"St Vincent and the Grenadine have conducted themselves with
pride and dignity and on this vote are excellent models for their
brothers," Manoa says.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Kitts and
Nevis and St Vincents and the Grenadines usually vote in line with
Japan on every issue.
The vote for the South Pacific proposal fell with 24 in support,
16 against and five abstentions. While still short of the three
quarters majority needed to create a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary,
it is a promising improvement on last year´s vote of 20 for, 13
against and four abstentions.
This year St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands,
Oman, Morocco and Ireland abstained from the vote. Gabon voted for
the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary, while voting against the South
Atlantic Whale Sanctuary.
The outcome for the vote for the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary
was 23 in support, 18 against with four abstentions. Last year´s
vote was 19 in support, 13 against with five abstentions.
"While it´s inspiring to see support increasing it is sad that
the Fisheries Agency of Japan´s votebuying is still succeeding in
blocking whale sanctuaries," says Greenpeace Argentina Oceans
Campaigner Milko Schvartzman.
"Many Latin American nations are benefiting from whale watching
ventures - the adoption of the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary would
encourage these activities and secure the protection of whales into
the future."
Support for the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary is strengthening
in the South Pacific with a number of countries declaring their own
waters as national whale sanctuaries. Papua New Guinea is the
latest to declare its interest in establishing a whale sanctuary in
its EEZ, following the example of French Polynesia, the Cook
Islands and Niue. Last year leaders from 14 countries confirmed
their support for the sanctuary in a statement issued at the
Pacific Island Forum meeting.