Japan's whale hunt condemned at IWC, sanctuary vote fails

May 31, 2007, 13:24 GMT

Anchorage, Alaska - Japan was again condemned for its scientific research hunts of whales in the Antarctic and in North Pacific at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Anchorage, Alaska, overnight to Thursday.

A strong majority, 40 of the 76 IWC member countries, called on Japan to end its research programme, which is expected later this year to include a catch of more than 900 minke whales and 50 humpback and 50 fin whales for scientific purposes.

Japan and 26 other pro-whaling nations did not participate in the vote in protest of the proposal by New Zealand.

The resolution has no force and Japan said it will continue hunting with its scientific whaling fleet. Japan is allowed to take more than 1,000 whales for scientific research.

On Wednesday the establishment of a whale sanctuary in the southern Atlantic Ocean failed to get the three-quarters majority needed to pass at the IWC meeting.

Brazil and Argentina had proposed to create the sanctuary and 39 of the 76 IWC members endorsed the protected zone in the Atlantic south of the equator, stretching from the east coast of South America to the west coast of Africa.

Rio regretted that more developing countries didn't follow South America's lead, saying that a whaling-free zone encourages a whale watching industry, which has positive economic influences.

Two sanctuaries already exist in the Indian Ocean and the Antarctic.