Whaling ban faces stiff test at Caribbean meeting

[Judi Lynn]

Whaling ban faces stiff test at Caribbean meeting
Jun 12, 2006 — By Michael Christie

MIAMI (Reuters) - An international whaling group this week is expected to try to chip away at a moratorium on commercial whaling that environmentalists say has saved the Earth's largest creatures from extinction.

For the first time since whale-hunting was banned in 1986, pro-whaling nations led by Japan expect to have a majority at the International Whaling Commission's annual meeting in the Caribbean island state of St. Kitts and Nevis from June 16-20.

Last year, Japan, Norway, Iceland and their allies failed to attain a majority only because some members showed up late or had failed pay their dues.

Even with a majority, they will not be able to end the hunting moratorium because that would require 75 percent of votes at the 70-member IWC.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2066893

[BayCityProgressive]

1. wow

how nice. I thought Norway was progressive? Why would they do something like this?

[alarimer]

2. They have always been on the side of the whalers

Being on of the world's few nations that still hunts whales. Japan has been bribing other nations (like Mongolia- a landlocked country) to be on their side by promising them lots of aid.

[BayCityProgressive]

3. that's just sick

it is so depressing to think how selfish and greedy the majority of people are.

[alarimer]

4. It is disheartening

Whales are not out of danger of extinction. I kind of understand about subsistence whaling (by natives in Alaska, for example) but Japan does "scientific whaling" and then turns around and sells the meat to gourmet restaurants, though they claim whaling is a part of their culture. Now, it is probably a good thing that the meat is not going to waste but it is really all about commerce. I don't know much about the Norweigian whaling history, just that they have always done it.