Subject: JAPAN MOVES TO ABOLISH ANTARCTIC WHALE SANCTUARY (fwd)
mike williamson (williams@www1.wheelock.edu)
Sat, 10 Apr 1999 07:59:39 -0400 (EDT)
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 13:48:54 EDT
From: USABreach@aol.com
To: USABreach@aol.com
Subject: JAPAN MOVES TO ABOLISH ANTARCTIC WHALE SANCTUARY
JAPAN MOVES TO ABOLISH ANTARCTIC WHALE SANCTUARY
A Message from Breach Marine Protection Headquarters
In anticipation of the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission
in Grenada next month, Japan has prepared a motion to abolish a whale
sanctuary in the Southern Ocean.
The Southern Ocean Sanctuary was set aside in 1994 as an area where
commercial whaling is prohibited. The sanctuary is home to, among others,
minke whales of the Southern Hemisphere -- the only remaining population of
great whales in the Antarctic still at a level close to their natural
abundance. Japan, under a loophole in the International Convention of the
Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), cannot be stopped by the IWC from hunting
between 300-400 minke whales annually in the 'sanctuary' ; it operates under
a clause allowing lethal, long-term, 'scientific' research programs. Japan
argues these programs are important to estimate the biological parameters
which could be used for management, in particular natural mortality, and the
elucidation of the role of whales in the Antarctic ecosystem. It is common
knowledge that all this information, and more, can be collected by non-lethal
methods.
Environmentalists say Japan's research is actually a commercial hunt in the
guise of science. After a few samples are taken, the whale meat is sold to
Japan's expensive sushi bars. This in itself is a commercial transaction,
therefore Japans whaling is commercial -- and not purely scientific as it
claims, said David Smith, Breach Marine Protection's Campaign Director.
"Japan is at last showing its true colours. This move exposes to everyone
Japan's efforts to restart commercial whaling, which almost eliminated some
whale species prior to 1986 when the world-wide moratorium on commercial
whaling was brought into effect. Japan is preparing to clear the way for its
evil intent, and with this move, plus its investment in a new whale killer
ship, all is plain to see," said Smith.
Japan catches whales in the Antarctic in the name of "scientific research,"
despite repeated calls by the IWC for it to stop. All meat from the operation
is sold on the commercial market and serves to keep the market alive. Last
year, the whaling industry built its first new whale catcher in 26 years,
calling it "a symbol of hope for the reopening of whaling."
The IWC has now reached near unanimous agreement (with only Japan dissenting)
on the objectives for the current sanctuary. The objectives are 1) the
recovery and monitoring of whale populations; 2) study of the effects of not
whaling on whales; and 3) research on the effects of environmental change on
whale populations.
There was euphoria amongst the media and some environment groups in 1994 who
proclaimed the establishment of the Antarctica Sanctuary as the answer to all
whaling problems, with comments like "now the whales are safe." At that
time, BMP warned that this was no more than a misleading of the world's
peoples, and called this interpretation "self serving." BMP also warned that
unless the IWC backed up the Sanctuary with enforcement, it would be treated
as no more than a breeding ground for whales to be farmed. It also said that
unless the so-called 'scientific' whaling loophole was closed by the IWC, and
the "ridiculous objection to IWC decisions procedure," the Sanctuary would
mean nothing to the welfare of Cetaceans. Japan has used both these to whales
'legally' within the Antarctic Sanctuary. "Unfortunately, the many thousands
of whales killed in the Sanctuary since its establishment has verified all
our predictions," Smith said.
ACTION
For information on how you can protest to Japanese Embassies and Trade
Missions world-wide, please see the 'READ & REACT' [JAPAN] page on Breach
Marine Protection's website.
Breach Marine Protection, US
Email: USA Breach@aol.com
PO Box 532
Woodbury, CT 06798
USA
BMP Headquarters, UK
Email: BreachEnv@aol.com
BMP Homepage:
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HREF="http://members.aol.com/breachenv/home.htm">http://members.aol.com/breach
env/home.htm</A>
Peoples Resolution on Abolition of Inhumane Commercial Slaughter of Whales:
<A
HREF="http://members.aol.com/breachenv/popreslt.htm">http://members.aol.com/br
eachenv/popreslt.htm</A>
Rapid Env. Disaster - Response. & Rescue
(R.E.'D.R.Res) Hotline: 0973 898282 (UK only)
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HREF="http://members.aol.com/breachenv/redrres.htm">http://members.aol.com/bre
achenv/redrres.htm</A>
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