Japan Heats Up The Pro Whaling Debate

The fate of the world's whales hangs in jeopardy. By way of its vote buying campaign, Japan could very well control the simple-majority vote of this year's International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, targeting small island nations in the Pacific and Caribbean with foreign aid for pro-whaling votes. If these countries vote with Japan it will be a blow to the integrity of the IWC and to the survival of whales around the world. For the first time since the 1970's the IWC could be in the hands of whalers.

www.stopwhaling.org

The findings of an IFAW-sponsored independent legal panel are clear – Japan’s so-called ‘scientific’ whaling is unlawful. ‘Scientific’ whaling is about whaling, not science. Commercial whaling is a cruel and outmoded industry producing products nobody needs. Yet Japan doubled the number of whales it killed this year (nearly 1,000) in an international whale sanctuary around Antarctica and plans to add humpback whales to its target list.

The whales aren’t saved. Today they face more threats than ever. Governments, organizations and people around the world need to act now to protect whales for future generations before it’s too late. Copyright © 2006 International Fund for Animal Welfare

NEWS UPDATE
The pro-whaling whaling lobbyists in Japan have been successful, at the recent International Whaling Commission (ICW) conference, in passing a motion that criticizes current whaling bans and seek to overturn the current ICW whaling ban. We’ve created a page where you can download some very well written articles about the debacle.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Visit the IFAW’s web site to find three ways that you can help to stop whaling and visit the IFAW’s Whale Protection page to view hundreds of pages of information about whaling worldwide.