Pro-Whaling Nations Discuss Reform (resumption of commercial whaling)

[Barrett808]

Pro-Whaling Nations Discuss Reform
5:05 AM EST, February 14, 2007
By KAORI HITOMI, Associated Press Writer

TOKYO -- Delegates at a whaling conference discussed ways to reform the International Whaling Commission on Wednesday as a boycott by more than half the organization's members continued for a second day.

Japan opened the conference Tuesday by issuing a stinging rebuke of the dozens of anti-whaling nations that stayed away, saying their absence would prevent much-needed improvements to the IWC.

The conference is being held as Japan's whaling fleet is hunting up to 945 whales in Antarctic waters under an IWC provision that allows the mammals to be killed for scientific research.

Outside the conference in Tokyo, anti-whaling activists handed out whale-shaped chocolates to delegates as Valentine's Day gifts.

"This is bitter chocolate. We hope the delegates will fully taste our message that they should not hunt but protect whales," Greenpeace member Mai Suzuki said.

(more)

http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-japan-whaling-conference,0,6546098.story

[rpannier]

1. translation

Japan opened the conference Tuesday by issuing a stinging rebuke of the dozens of anti-whaling nations that stayed away, saying their absence would prevent much-needed improvements to the IWC.

this means

Allow Japan, Norway and Iceland to go nuts killing whales.

[flvegan]

4. Damn, but you nailed it.

Add bribery for votes to the mix, and you've got the whole deal.

[Coventina]

2. kudos to the anti-whaling Japanese protesters

It's nice to see that the insanity promoted by the Japanese government and whaling industry is not univerally accepted.

[Barrett808]

3. (Aussie) Govt gets whaling data from Japan: Labor ("asking a burglar for a list of stolen goods")

Labor's environment spokesman Peter Garrett says the only way the federal government monitors whaling by Japanese ships is by asking the Japanese what's happening.

That was like asking a burglar to list what they've stolen, he said.

The issue was raised at a Senate estimates hearing, when environment department officials were asked how they knew what was happening in Australia's declared whale sanctuary off Antarctica.

Mr Garrett said the hearing was told the government received information from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), relying on data provided by Japan.

"That's like asking a burglar for a list of stolen goods," Mr Garrett said in a statement. "The Howard government refuses to send surveillance vessels to the Southern Ocean, arguing no useful purpose would be served. "Apparently, monitoring illegal activities in Australian waters is not useful."

(more)

http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=356290