Whaling loopholes tightened on killing

Press, 4 June 1988, Page 8

Whaling loopholes tightened on killing

PA Wellington The International Whaling Commission (1.W.C.) yesterday moved to further tighten loopholes through which Japan, Norway and Iceland killed 1557 whales in the last year The 1.W.C., which ended its annual meeting in Auckland yesterday, resisted a demand from Japan to create a special category for Japanese coastal whalers. The commission also called on Norway not to start “scientific” whaling and reiterated criticism made last year of a similar Icelandic programme. Japan had suggested a special coastal quota of 210 minke whales, which

would have breached the existing moratorium on commercial whaling, but did not push the matter to a vote.

“The Japanese and the other whaling nations have had six years to come to terms with the moratorium,” said a Greenpeace campaigner, Mr Campbell Plowden, yesterday. “It’s time they stopped trying to evade it in the name of science or in any other way.” Japan killed 1082 whales in the last year, 273 of them in the Antarctic under a “scientific” programme it shows no signs of abandoning. .The programme was condemned by a 20-6 I.W.C. postal vote earlier this

year. . Japan has not yet submitted plans for more “scientific” whaling this year, but spokesmen say they intend to continue, whatever the I.W.C. says.

Norway proposed killing 35 minke whales this year, including five destined for a bizarre experiment in anaesthesia and radio tagging. It did not specify how many whales would be killed for “research” in future years.

IWC scientists found the plan contained flaws in its objectives and methods and added little to the knowledge of whales.

Iceland killed 80 fin and 20 sei whales in 1987 and intends to do the same this year under a

“scientific” programme already criticised by the I.W.C. The I.W.C. moratarium on killing whales is due to be reviewed in 1990 and only two nations — Norway and the Soviet Union — have not withdrawn objections to the moratorium.

Japan finally withdrew its objection earlier this year and as it was anxious to create a special coastal category to permit continued whaling. “The only whales killed from now on will be in the name of ‘science’ or in blatant defiance of the moratorium,” said Mr Plowden. “The world wants the whalers to stop and the I.W.C. has made this clear this week."