UK IN WHALING RECRUITMENT DRIVE

[Anonymous]

UK in whaling recruitment drive
The
UK is stepping up attempts to secure an anti-whaling majority on the
International Whaling Commission (IWC).Last year, pro-hunting nations
gained their first IWC majority for 20 years.The British government
will publish a brochure this coming week aimed at encouraging nations
opposed to whaling to join the Commission.It says whales are
“sensitive, social creatures”, with some species risking extinction.
Japan says these arguments are “old rhetoric and half-truths”.

There is no humane way to kill a whale at sea……..David Attenborough

Japan,
Iceland and Norway, the principal pro-whaling nations, believe that
many stocks are large enough that hunting can be sustainable.They
dismiss arguments that whales are special and distinct creatures as
being relevant only in certain cultures.The issue was given added
urgency by Iceland’s decision in October to resume commercial hunting,
a move which brought diplomatic protest from Britain and its allies.

‘Global responsibility’
The
UK’s recruitment brochure, which will be officially launched next week,
is the most formalised attempt yet mounted by anti-whaling countries to
regain the majority which they lost by a single vote at last year’s IWC
meeting, held in St Kitts.It says that protecting whales for future
generations is a “global responsibility”.”Some whales are particularly
at risk of extinction because their populations remain endangered
following past exploitation from commercial whaling,” it continues.In
two forewords, the distinguished natural history broadcaster David
Attenborough writes, “There is no humane way to kill a whale at sea”,
while Tony Blair makes a direct call to arms.”We urge your government
to join the UK and the other anti-whaling nations in the IWC,” writes
the British Prime Minister, “to ensure that our generation meets its
global responsibility to protect whales.”The arguments contained in the
brochure were dismissed by Japan’s deputy whaling commission Joji
Morish*ta.”It is always depressing to see the same old anti-whaling
rhetoric,” he told the BBC News website.”Its basic position is that
commercial whaling automatically means extinction. As we want
everlasting whaling, which is totally different from the past
industrial whaling of western countries which regarded whales only as
an exhaustive industrial material, we would avoid extinction at any
cost.”Mr Morish*ta also warned that the IWC could break up without
agreement on the eventual return to regulated commercial hunting.

Art of persuasion
Japan
is regularly accused by conservation campaigners of using fisheries aid
to buy the votes of smaller countries in the IWC.In reality, both pro-
and anti-whaling blocs have sought to recruit like-minded members in
recent years.At the close of last year’s meeting, shocked by their
defeat, commissioners from European and South American countries told
me they intended to step up these efforts. New European Union members,
and those seeking membership, are natural targets.The plan is clearly
bearing fruit. Following representations from anti-whaling countries
including the UK, Slovenia joined the IWC last September, and Croatia
followed suit two weeks ago.In theory, their accession overturns the
pro-whaling majorityBut IWC votes are unpredictable, and the British
government’s recruitment brochure indicates its intention of securing
forces which can reliably out-vote Japan, Norway, Iceland and their
allies.

[Author]

January 29, 2007 at 9:46 AM