Although a final decision will not be adopted by CITES until
next week, it is likely that whales will be saved from their
biggest threat in over a decade. CITES member states voted against
each of Japan and Norway’s proposals to downlist three populations
of minke whale and the gray whale from Appendix I to Appendix II of
the CITES list.
If today’s decisions are not challenged and whales remain on
Appendix I, the current ban on international trade in whale meat
and blubber will remain in place.
“Greenpeace congratulates all nations that have recognized the
need to protect whales from international trade and urges them to
stand by their decisions. History shows us that commercial whaling
leads to the devastation of whale populations. Allowing trade would
only encourage illegal whaling and spell disaster for whale
populations the world over,” said John Frizell of Greenpeace
International.
Both Japan and Norway continue to hunt whales despite the ban on
commercial whaling in 1986 (1). Japan’s whaling fleet returned from
whaling in the protected Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean
whale sanctuary with a catch of 439 minke whales just a few days
before the CITES meeting began. Norwegian whaling vessels are due
to start this year’s hunt in the northeast Atlantic on 24th
April.
Each of Norway and Japan’s proposals received less support at
this week’s meeting than they did when voted upon at the last CITES
meeting in 1997.
“The extent to which both countries are prepared to compromise
endangered whales for the sake of financial gain from minkes has
shocked many countries,” said Frizell. “Any moves to sabotage
today’s decision will only serve to further tarnish their
international reputation,” he added.
Notes to Editors:
(1) The International Whaling Commission (IWC) banned commercial
whaling in 1986, but Japan has continued to hunt for ‘scientific’
purposes and Norway has ignored the ban.
In a statement yesterday, U.S. President Clinton said: “I am
deeply concerned that successful efforts by the international
community to protect endangered species would be undermined by
proposals to reopen trade in elephant ivory and whale products.”
(White House press release, April 14th 2000).
Japan and Norway will continue their attempts to legalize their
whaling operations at the International Whaling Commission meeting,
to be held in Australia, July 2000.
