Japan's resumption of its whale hunt in the Southern Ocean has been slammed by scientists attached to the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Key points: The group of scientists label the IWC's current scientific processes a 'waste of time'.

The group of scientists label the IWC's current scientific processes a 'waste of time'. They say Japan continues to hunt whales despite its recommedations.

They say Japan continues to hunt whales despite its recommedations. The scientists want greater independence and more binding powers.

In an open letter to the scientific journal Nature, 30 members of the 200-member scientific committee that advises the IWC have called for an urgent overhaul of the scientific process used by the commission to manage whale populations, describing the existing system as "a waste of time."

Andrew Brierley, a professor of marine biology at the University of St Andrews, is one of the authors of the letter and said the decision to publish was one borne of "frustration" at Japan's disregard of the commission's recommendations.

"Japan claims to have sincerely taken in account the view of the scientific committee and the view of the independent review panel, but in actual fact they haven't changed anything substantial in their scientific proposal," he said.

"[Japan] are going ahead to do what they set out originally to do regardless of any scientific opinion."

Japan suspended its annual whale hunt in 2014 after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that its whaling program — known as JARPA II — was not based in science and was therefore illegal.

Despite the ruling, Japan has designed a new whaling program, called NEWREP-A, which it submitted in November 2014 to the IWC's scientific committee for assessment.

The new research plan means that less whales will be killed, and that the hunt will take place over a larger area of the Southern Ocean.

Despite the revised scientific plan, the IWC's scientific committee found that there remained insufficient justification for killing whales in the name of science under the new program.

In December, Japan ignored that finding, with its whaling boats leaving port bound for the Southern Ocean with the aim of catching up to 333 minke whales.

'Japan is at liberty to do whatever they want'

Professor Brierley and his colleagues are calling for changes to be made at the IWC.

"Japan does not require the approval of the International Whaling Commission. All that Japan is required to do — or indeed that any country is required to do — is to present the proposal for consideration," he said.

Key dates in Japan's whaling program March 2014: The ICJ finds Japan's whaling program 'unscientific' and therefore illegal

March 2014: The ICJ finds Japan's whaling program 'unscientific' and therefore illegal November 2014: Japan submits a plan for a new whaling program to the IWC

November 2014: Japan submits a plan for a new whaling program to the IWC February 2015: IWC scientific committee finds no scientific justification to kill whales

February 2015: IWC scientific committee finds no scientific justification to kill whales October 2015: Japan disputes the ICJ's jurisdiction over whaling matters

October 2015: Japan disputes the ICJ's jurisdiction over whaling matters December 2015: Japanese whale boats head to the Southern Ocean

December 2015: Japanese whale boats head to the Southern Ocean January 2016: IWC scientific committee calls for reform

"The view of the scientific committee is not binding so actually Japan is at liberty to go ahead and do whatever they want."

Professor Brierley said that the scientific review process itself was flawed.

"The people who propose the research, in this case Japan, have a say in what the opinion of the science is," he said.

"In a way that's like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop."

The IWC has said no new whaling permits would be issued before September 2016.

That means that, at least officially, the Japanese fleet is operating in the Southern Ocean without an international permit to hunt for whales.

Letter fuels debate about IWC reforms

Don Rothwell, a Professor of International Law at the Australian National University, said the letter from the IWC scientific committee was significant.

"This contribution from the members of the IWC scientific committee will just add to the continuing debate about the need for reform of the International Whaling Commission," he said.

"The subject of the review of the International Whaling Commission has been a matter that's been ongoing to approximately 20 odd years.

"It was, I think, hoped that as a result of the judgement in the whaling case in 2014 that that might provide something of a breakthrough in terms of resolving the issues between countries like Japan who are pro-whaling and countries like Australia and New Zealand who are pro-conservation."

Professor Rothwell said opportunities remained to pursue Japan legally.

He said Australia could take Japan back to the ICJ, but in October Japan officially disputed the ICJ's jurisdiction over whaling matters.

He also suggested that Australia could go to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

"In the view of myself and my colleagues, Australia would have a strong argument that Japan's actions are not in compliance with the law of the sea convention on this matter," Professor Rothwell said.