As Delegates Convene in London, Conservation of the Worlds Whales in Jeopardy

YARMOUTH, Mass., March 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is holding an intersessional meeting this week in London to discuss an impasse between those countries which support whale conservation, and the minority, lead by the government of Japan, that advocate a return to widespread commercial whaling.

A global ban on commercial whaling was approved by member nations of the IWC in 1986, yet since the ban came into effect, more than 30,000 whales have been killed for commercial purposes, most by Japan and Norway. Thursday's attempt to resolve the issue comes as Japan's Southern Ocean whaling season comes to an end and plans are made for next year's hunt.

"Our planet's great whales face more threats than ever before, yet the Government of Japan continues to hijack an international forum for a pro-whaling agenda," said Patrick Ramage, Director of IFAW's Global Whale program. "Unlawful whaling activities should not be used as a bargaining chip to legitimize and expand commercial whaling in the 21st century. It is time for the great nation of Japan to stop whaling."

Respected international panels of independent legal experts have found the whaling currently conducted by Japan -- which is killing some 1,400 whales this year in North Pacific and Antarctic waters -- to be illegal.

Many argue that the 1946 Convention which was conceived to regulate whaling activity agreement should reflect the new global consensus to promote the conservation of whales. "The range of threats to whales has expanded far beyond what the original signatories to the Convention could have foreseen. Given these grave threats, the IWC must emerge from the London meeting with a clearer and reinforced mandate for whale conservation as opposed to whaling," Ramage said.

With new and emerging threats such as ocean noise pollution, global warming, ship collisions, entanglement in fishing gear and countless others, whales face more threats today than at any other time in history.

Founded in 1969, IFAW is an international animal welfare and conservation organization working to protect wild and domestic animals and to promote solutions that benefit both animals and people. With offices in 15 countries around the world, IFAW works to protect whales, elephants, great apes, big cats, dogs and cats, seals, and other animals.