G rowing up as a kid, I always thought of environmentalists as a bunch of hippies trying to save some whales from extinction and habitat fragmentation. The age old rally cry, “Save the Whales” rings clear in my mind as one of the first slogans I associated with the environmental movement. As a symbol of endangered species, whales serve as a constant reminder that human activity on the planet greatly impacts the life cycle of biological organisms. There are less that 1% of the original population of Blue Whales in the Antarctic region despite forty years of protection efforts. Thanks to these efforts, the Eastern Pacific Grey Whale is thought to have recovered to its original population, however the Western Pacific Grey Whale is the most endangered whale population in the world with just over one-hundred remaining. Whaling has been a hotbed topic in the environmental movement for decades and continues to be an important issue on the world stage. Recently, the International Whaling Commission has decided to consider legislation to allow commercial whaling to resume after a ban on commercial whaling for the past twenty-eight years.
The International Whaling Commission, IWC, was established in 1946 in order to, “provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry”. In the 1970’s as the world became more concerned with environmental issues, the commercial whaling issue was gained national spotlight. In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm adopted a proposal for a ten-year moratorium on commercial whaling to allow whale stocks to recover. As more and more anti-whaling nations such as the United States joined the IWC in the 1970’s and the1980’s, the IWC became an agent of hope for dwindling whale populations. This culminated on July 23, 1986 when the IWC voted by the necessary three-quarters majority to implement a pause on commercial whaling.
For the past twenty-eight years, this historic legislation banning commercial whaling has protected whale species from extinction and prevented the abhorred practice of whaling. However, the IWC has recently taken up legislation to continue commercial whaling around the world, including off the coast of Iceland, Japan, and Norway. These countries already practice whaling, but claim that it is for scientific research purposes when in fact Iceland has recently been found to have been illegally exporting whale meat the the European Union. Commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary would be permitted.The legislation would make commercial whaling legal in these countries, but would seek to reduce catches significantly over the next ten years. The IWC is meeting in Morroco in June to deliberate.
This issues has gained international media attention and public outcry from environmental organizations around the world. The Obama administration has yet to take a stance on this issue saying that it needs to see serious number before it can make a decision on weather or not to support the legislation. Protests aginainst the legislation have occured worldwide including a protest on St. Peters Beach on MArch 3rd organized by Greenpeace. In Japan two activists have been arrested for illegally smuggaling a container or illegally harvested whale meat from a vessel and presenting it as evidence in court. In response to the shocking legislation,Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts has introduced a bill to the senate to protect whales and to show United States support for the 1986 ban on commercial whaling, sending a message to the IWC.
I strongly urge the International Whaling Commision to uphold the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling when they convene in Morroco in June. The gruesome slaughtering of whales for commercial purposes, while a traditional practice in several world cultures, would dessimate endangered whale populations. The hope that the United States Senate and House of Representitives will take up Senators Kerry’s call to reinstate the ban on commercial whaling to “Save the Whales” for years to come.
