N.Z. supports move against all whaling

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 2

N.Z. supports move against all whaling

Krom KEN COATES in London

New Zealand added its voice to a growing world movement against unrestricted commercial whaling, at the International Whaling Commission’s annual meeting which opened yesterday. • The Deputy High Commissions in London (Mr B. J. Lynch) pledged that New Zealand would give firm support to the adoption of a moratorium on whaling. This came hard on the heels of a strong statement by Britain calling for a mora. torium, and a Common Market ban on whale products. Mr Lynch was in accord with the British Minister nf State for Agriculture (Mr A. Buchanan-Smith) who expressed concern about the methods used for killing whales. The New Zealand Government believed that killing methods could be improved ar)d that the commission should continue studying how this could be achieved, said Mr Lynch. He also urged amendment of the 1946 Whaling Convention to provide for a prohibition on the transfer of whaling vessels. This would facilitate the identification of legitimate vessels and prevent their transfer to any

nation or organisation outside the' jurisdiction of the commission. This was a clear reference to the growing practice if pirate whaling by Panam-anian-registered ships. Mr Lynch warned that a leap in the commission’s I spending for next year might I act as a disincentive for countries which would otherwise wish to join. Britain’s strong stand, which contrasts with that of previous years, has eni couraged conservationists monitoring the commission's meeting to hope for a vote I in favour of a moratorium. They also hope that the ; commission will agree to a 'three-year halt oh killing sperm whales, a proposal put i forward by the Seychelles. President Carter, of the .United States appealed in a ' letter to the commission for 'a wwld-wide ban on com(mercial whaling. “We are distributing today I a letter from the President of the United States urging the . commission to adopt an indefinite (unlimited) moraI torium, thereby at last taking effective action to ensure the : survival of the great whales.” I said a statement by the American delegation.