Australian Government to block Japanese whaling proposal
Japanese Government officials have reportedly confirmed that they will propose the resumption of commercial whaling at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC – the global body that regulates whale hunts) in September.
Australia and other anti-whaling nations are now set for a showdown with Japan at the IWC meeting, which will be held in Brazil.
The Australian Department of the Environment and Energy said it would seek to block any such bid by Japan and stated: “Australia will strongly oppose any proposals to overturn the moratorium [on commercial whaling] or change the rules for setting catch limits”.
Governments need to oppose Japan’s manipulation of IWC to end slaughtering of whales for profit. Last summer Japan’s Southern Ocean hunt killed 333 Antarctic minke whales – 112 were pregnant and 114 were juveniles.
Norway and Iceland also presently kill whales despite the ban.
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