The International Whaling Commission has rejected Japan鈥檚 call to resume regulated commercial whaling and end the 19-year moratorium on whale hunts.
The ballot, which would have required a three-quarters majority, was voted down by 29 votes to 23 on Tuesday. Five countries abstained. It was the second blow for Japan at the commission鈥檚 annual meeting, held this year in Ulsan, South Korea, after its bid to change votes to secret ballots was also rejected.
The IWC has been working for years to develop a system to manage whaling. Japan has argued that some populations, such as the minke whale, have recovered sufficiently since the 1986 moratorium for a return to sustainable harvests.
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For example, Japan proposed to double in their annual quota of minke allowed under the scientific research programme from 400 to 800. The country currently kills a total of about 650 whales of all types each year. Japan鈥檚 proposal included measures for on-site monitors and testing of captured whales.
But environmentalists said that these failed to address concerns over animal suffering and independent regulation of catch numbers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a resounding victory for conservation-minded countries and a great loss of face for Japan,鈥� Chris Carter, New Zealand鈥檚 conservation minister, told the AFP news agency.
Ian Campbell, Australia鈥檚 environment minister had similarly cutting words for the Japanese scheme: 鈥淚t鈥檚 the sort of fisheries plan that most nations who take sustainable management seriously wouldn鈥檛 even apply to sardines or cod.鈥�
