Whaling Commission? Whale Conservation? Or Whaler's Club?
The 63rd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission presents yet another opportunity to eliminate the commercial exploitation of whales that will likely be squandered.
In 1986, the IWC enacted a moratorium on all commercial whaling. Unfortunately, like so many other resolutions defining limits for the exploitation of whales, political and economic interests continue to subvert international conservation efforts.
Japan, Iceland, and Norway continue to hunt down whales on an industrial scale, including endangered species.
One year ago, the United States of America, a once stalwart anti-whaling leader, stood ready to accept a compromise that would have allowed a limited return to commercial whaling. However, the compromise proposal failed.
In practical terms, the whaling trade has also suffered several significant setbacks.
Independent investigation, and the political trial of Greenpeace activists, exposed corruption in the public offices responsible for whaling in Japan. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society continued to draw increasing public support for its direct action campaigns which succeeded in limiting Japan's Southern Ocean hunt to a short season and a mere fourth of the intended whaling quota.
Norway's annual catch continued to shrink in response to declining demand. Natural disaster crippled Japan's coastal whaling industry and discouraged Iceland from hunting endangered Fin whales with the export market in shambles. Australia has challenged the legality of Japan's whaling through the International Court of Justice.
The latest meeting of the IWC could literally shape the future of the organization and establish a new mandate for conservation. Or it could fall back into the old familiar pattern of unheeded scientific advice and attempts to placate the economic and political interests of the whalers.
Will the IWC reform its ways and contribute to the ultimate success of men and whales?
Update
The United Kingdom led a successful proposal to alter the way the IWC processes fees in order to address the corruption scandal exposed last year where Japan's agents had gone as far as to hand envelopes of cash to other IWC delegates in exchange for their votes.
However, as Latin American countries attempted to establish a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary, Japan and its supporters literally walked out of the meeting in order to block the vote.
Representatives from the following nations walked out of the IWC meeting:
Japan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Gambia, Iceland, Ivory Coast, Norway, Nauru, Mongolia, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Grenade, Kiribati, Morocco, Korea, Ghana, Palau, Togo, Tuvalu, St Kitts & Nevis and St Lucia.
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