Monday, 8 March, 2010 - 16:54

A draft compromise on whaling released by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on February 23 set a dangerous precedent that the international community must reject, WWF said.

At an IWC working group meeting in Florida from 2-4 March 2010 where the proposal was discussed, the New Zealand Government indicated its openness to compromise in order to achieve an end to commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean. But WWF says the current draft proposal would not achieve this, and any negotiation should be focused on securing an end to commercial whaling in the long-term:

"If there is one single place in the world where whales should be fully protected, it is the Southern Ocean," said Wendy Elliott, Species Manager at WWF-International. "What we need is to eliminate all whaling in the Southern Ocean, including Japanese commercial whaling thinly disguised as 'scientific research'. But what we have now is a deal which could make it even easier for Japan to continue taking whales in this ecologically unique place."

A working group within the IWC unveiled the new compromise aimed at unlocking the stalled negotiation process between countries fundamentally opposed to whaling and states that support it. The IWC has maintained a ban on all commercial whaling since 1986. But, defying this ban, Japan, Norway and Iceland use loopholes in the IWC's founding treaty to kill more than 1,500 whales a year. The loopholes allow whaling under 'objection' to management decisions (Norway and Iceland) and "scientific" whaling for research purposes (Japan).

"WWF believes there is no place for commercial whaling in the 21st century. However, the current situation is devastating whale populations in the Southern Ocean, and is completely out of control," said WWF-New Zealand Executive Director Chris Howe. "It is understandable that the New Zealand government is pursuing diplomatic negotiations aimed at improving the situation for whales, as it's clear the current approach is not benefiting whales. The overall goal for the New Zealand government should, however, remain an end to all commercial whaling."

WWF is campaigning for the reform of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) under which the commercial hunting of whales continues despite the global moratorium. While the compromise currently on the table contains many positive elements for whale conservation that would help bring the IWC into the 21st Century, it could legitimise 'scientific' whaling by Japan in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

WWF's position is that whaling must stop in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, including Japanese commercial whaling thinly disguised as 'scientific research', and tight controls on commercial whaling - which kills around 2000 whales every year despite the global moratorium - must be put in place.

WWF's Chris Howe said: "We do not support allocation of commercial whaling quotas to Japan. We encourage the New Zealand Government to work with other Governments to find a way to end commercial whaling."