The proposal would legitimise commercial whaling and even allow
hunting to continue in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
Instead of following a "user pays" principle, which would see
the whaling nations - Japan, Norway and Iceland - bear the cost for
management and supervision of the whaling industry, under the
proposal, all countries party to the International Whaling
Commission will foot the bill.
"It is bad enough to try to sell this appalling deal to New
Zealanders, but it's a complete insult to ask them to pay for it as
well," said Philippa Brakes from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Society.
The Australian Government is known to be deeply unhappy with the
proposal which would include bringing back legal commercial whaling
but the New Zealand Government and its IWC Commissioner, Sir
Geoffrey Palmer, are promoting it.
The Australian Government has issued a counter proposal which
includes phasing out whaling in the Southern Ocean over five years.
Australia's proposal has not received the support of the New
Zealand Government
"The so-called compromise package, being hailed by New Zealand
as a breakthrough, appears to reward whaling countries for years of
ignoring the global moratorium on commercial whaling and now
presents them with commercial whaling quotas tied up with a
ribbon," said Erica Martin from IFAW.
"Australians and New Zealanders are united in their opposition
to commercial whaling - they will never accept this deal let alone
pay for it," said Nicola Beynon from Humane Society
International.
"In their haste to resolve the impasse in the IWC, NZ could end
up supporting a deal that in fact takes us back to the grim days of
commercial whaling that drove many species to the brink of
extinction last century. New Zealand must stand with its
traditional whale conservation allies such as Australia if there's
to be any chance of achieving a future that's good for the whales,"
said Greenpeace New Zealand Oceans Campaigner Karli Thomas.
Greenpeace, Humane Society International, IFAW (the
International Fund for Animal Welfare), Project Jonah, Whale and
Dolphin Conservation Society, World Society for the Protection of
Animals and Whales Alive are all calling on the New Zealand
Government not to betray the anti-whaling New Zealand electorate,
nor their friends in Australia, and have an urgent re-think of any
compromises that will undermine their long standing opposition to
commercial whaling.
Firm proposals for the new whaling deal will be put forward by
22 April to be voted on at the International Whaling Commission
meeting in Morocco in June 2010.
Other contacts: In New Zealand:
Karli Thomas, Greenpeace New Zealand +64 21 905 582
Philippa Brakes, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society +64 21 612 309
Bridget Vercoe, WSPA New Zealand, +64 21 448 949
Kimberly Muncaster, Project Jonah New Zealand +64 21 682 142
In Australia:
Nicola Beynon, Humane Society International +61 404 065 517
Erica Martin, International Fund for Animal Welfare +61 408 881 607
Mick McIntyre, Whales Alive +61 408 884 999
James Lorenz, Greenpeace Australia Pacific +61 400 376 021
Notes: This press release has been issued by Greenpeace, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Whales Alive, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Project Jonah and World Society for Protection of Animals.
Exp. contact date: 2010-05-12 00:00:00