Inaddition to this increased hunt, Japan has vowed to secure a majorityin the meeting next year. Member states who joined last Friday did notattend the meeting and after the key vote against the resumption ofwhaling, a member of the Japanese delegation told the meeting thatJapan was gaining support, saying: “next year they will participate…the turning point, the reversal of history, is soon to come.”
"A resumption of whaling would not reflect a change in world opinion,” said John Frizell, Greenpeace International Oceans “Itwould reflect the changes in the IWC membership due to Japan’srecruiting. A hostile takeover of the IWC is underway and action mustbe taken to stop it.”
Greenpeaceacknowledged the efforts of the anti-whaling countries at this meeting,but challenged them to go beyond the political rhetoric and applyconcrete steps to demonstrate it is serious about this issue and toensure the whales are protected.
"Governments need to understand that fighting for whale protection is afull time thing, not just a case of whirlwind tours and rhetoric aroundthe time of the IWC," said Frizell.
The IWC must also address all the issues facing the world’s whales, andchange to incorporate systems that truly address the threats such asbeing caught in fishing nets, toxic pollution and the effects ofclimate change.
“Thethreats facing the world’s whales must be addressed and currently thisforum does not even scrape the surface of the issues,” said Frizell.“Each day, every day one thousand cetaceans die from being caught infishing nets, and more are impacted by from toxic pollution and fromthe effects of climate change.”
“The Japanese delegation was sent a clear signal yesterday after the Commission
voted against their scientific whaling proposal asking them clearly tosuspend their programme, which now includes the slaughter of fin andhumpback whales which are highly endangered,” said Frizell. “They areignoring the Commission’s resolution and driving forward with theirprogramme.”
TheIWC must find its place in the future fate of the whales; it must be anindependent commission and not bow to any country wishing to manipulatethe forum for its own means. The World’s whales deserve more respect.
Iceland,who also kill whales for ‘scientific research’ is also expected toannounce its quota after the end of the IWC. The Greenpeace ship,Arctic Sunrise, is currently in Iceland raising awareness ofalternative sustainable industries such as whale watching.
Other contacts: John Frizell, Greenpeace International, +82 10 22 33 07 46Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Media Officer, +82 10 22 33 07 53www.greenpeace.org