Biologist slams Japan, wants broader whaling panel

May 29, 2007, 11:19 GMT

New York - The conservation group Greenpeace has charged pro-whaling Japan with endangering a democratic vote over the future of the marine mammals by using financial aid to buy the votes of poor countries.

Japan has renewed its demands to lift the worldwide hunting ban on large whales at the four-day meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Anchorage, Alaska, as 76 countries prepare to vote this week on whether to maintain the 21-year-old moratorium and hunting opponents struggle to hang on to their majority on the panel.

On the opening day of the International Whaling Commission's annual meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, Thilo Maack, a Greenpeace delegate and marine biologist, expressed concern Monday in a telephone interview as the hunting ban, put in place as a conservation measure, faces its strongest challenge in years.

QUESTION: What is the biggest danger you see in this year's commission meeting?

MAACK: The biggest hurdle for a democratic decision at the IWC meeting is certainly the aggressive vote buying by the Japanese government.

For years, development aid for island nations has been linked to membership in the IWC and support of Japan's pro-whaling position. That is clear-cut bribery. Because of it, countries like Laos, Mongolia and the Ivory Coast have joined the IWC. These are nations that otherwise would never join such an organization.

The driving force for their membership is solely the Japanese development aid, not true conviction.

QUESTION: Is Japan correct in its contention that the population of many large whales has drastically recovered in recent years?

MAACK: The IWC's scientific committee has yet to release any large whale species for commercial whaling. On the contrary, the size of many populations, just like before, is unknown.

Other populations have yet to recover from commercial whaling. For example, less than 1 per cent of the original blue whale population survived commercial whaling. Although this species has not been hunted for more than 40 years, the population shows no signs of a recovery. It's the same for many species, such as the fin whale, sei and Bryde's whale, and the humpback whale.

QUESTION: Will other dangers to whales such as increasing underwater noise pollution, fishing lines and nets as well as the pollution of the sea come under discussion at the IWC meeting? In what proportion do these risks stand to the whaling by Japan, Norway and Iceland?

MAACK: The IWC treaty states will talk primarily about the whale hunt over the next several days. Only a few hours will be devoted to other, substantially more pressing problems, but the IWC must absolutely debate other dangers to whales.

More than 300,000 whales and dolphins die every year in the nets of the world fishing industry as unwanted by-catch. The mammals, which are often seriously injured, are sorted out and, dead or dying, thrown overboard. On top of this are countless victims of the creeping pollution of the oceans and continually increasing underwater noise.

The IWC should mobilize itself against these dangers to protect all 80 whale species, not just the 13 species of large whales. Actually, the Whaling Commission should transform itself into the Whale Protection Commission.