Greenland denied humpback whaling permit
Categories: International, Science, Environment, Animal Rights, news
In this Feb. 2007 photo released by the International Fund For Animals Welfare (IFAW), a humpback whale swims in the Silver Bank whale sanctuary, a breeding zone of humpback whales just north of the Dominican Republic in the North Atlantic Ocean. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is holding its 60th annual meeting in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, June 24, 2008, where Chile's President Michelle Bachelet pushed to permanently ban whaling along Chile's sprawling coast and create a whale sanctuary.
(AP Photo/IFAW)Greenland denied humpback whaling permit
By EVA VERGARA, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jun 26, 7:19 PM ET
The International Whaling Commission voted down Thursday a request by indigenous Greenland fishermen to kill 10 humpback whales a year.
The fisherman offered to give up rights to eight fin whales in return for the humpbacks. Denmark pushed for a vote on the controversial proposal despite efforts by the whaling commission this week to find compromise between pro- and anti- whaling nations and postpone divisive issues.
Denmark said its request was supported by a commission report that found stocks of humpback whales in Greenland waters have grown in recent years.
But commission officials said the request went beyond subsistence purposes and appeared to involve commercial interests in violation of the commission's 22-year-old moratorium on commercial whaling.
Japanese delegate Joji Morishita strongly supported Denmark's request, saying he shared "the pain of the Greenland people" over the rejection.
But Chilean delegate Christian Maquieira lamented the "return of divisive proposals" that have deadlocked the commission for years.
The Latin American block on Thursday presented a proposal for the establishment of a whale sanctuary in the southern Atlantic Ocean, but did not ask for a vote in deference to a pact to avoid controversies.
Two-dozen members of the International Whaling Commission have begun the uphill task of reconciling differences between pro- and anti-whaling countries that have paralyzed the full 81-member commission.
The working committee includes pro-whaling countries Japan, Iceland and Norway, as well as staunch hunting opponents Australia and New Zealand. It is expected to submit a report at next year's conference in Madeira, Portugal.
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