Pro-hunting nations gain influence in whaling agency

[LeftyMom]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003036603_whaling03.html

"WASHINGTON — Japan and Norway, two nations that have refused to give up large-scale whaling despite widespread condemnation, are on the cusp of gaining control of the international commission that since 1986 has strictly limited whale hunting in an effort to rebuild the population of Earth's largest creatures.

The impending shift, which will be on display when the International Whaling Commission convenes on the island of St. Kitts for its annual meeting on June 16, has alarmed environmentalists and officials from countries that oppose commercial whaling, including the United States, Australia and New Zealand. They note that in recent years Japan has recruited at least 19 countries — many from West Africa and the Caribbean — to join the commission and support expanded whaling.

"Most Americans think the whales have been saved," said Gregory Wetstone, director of U.S. operations for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, an advocacy group. "These populations cannot sustain the kind of pressure that industrial-scale whaling can bring."

In interviews, senior fisheries officials from half a dozen countries, including the United States and Japan, said the commission will face a decisive moment this month." continued at link

[BrklynLiberal]

1. West Africa and the Caribbean are for whale hunting? Why? Why should

they vote that way? What have Japan and Norway promised them? This is truly disgusting.

[LeftyMom]

2. Bribery.

They're likely to make voting secret ballot at this meeting to keep the bribes harder to track.

[flvegan]

3. If the IWC and CITES

are reversed in favor of the whalers, it'll be some time before mass commercial whaling begins again, I hope. Between the lawsuits and injunctions brought by IFAW, Greenpeace, SSCS, et al, I expect that it will be years before any overturned "rules" can actually be utilized.

And, if during that time, to continue to enforce the law (since there is no enforcement anyway) Capt. Watson needs to ramp it up and scuttle some of those pirate ships, then so be it.

Besides, as I understand it, sunken vessels make for great artificial reefs...

[Coventina]

4. WTF is wrong with Norway?

They are such a liberal and "green" nation on most issues.
Why are they so stupid about this?

[flamingyouth]

5. I believe they started it up again for political reasons

The native people in the north have practiced it forever, and I think this was a way to gain political clout in that region. Pretty much everything comes down to money and politics eventually.

[Coventina]

6. *sigh*

It just breaks my heart.

How can anyone with a soul contemplate killing those beautiful creatures?