Australia Pressures Japan Towards Non-Lethal Whale Research

TOKYO, Japan, November 12, 2003 (ENS) - Five Japanese whaling ships left port on Friday to hunt minke whales in Antarctic waters as part of Japan's research whaling program. It is Japan's 17th expedition to the Antarctic. The program began in 1987 after the International Whaling Commission (IWC) placed a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986.

The whalers set sail from Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, with a crew of 200 aboard the five ships, according to Fisheries Agency spokesman Shuji Sato, who said the fleet will return in April. The goal is to take about 410 minke whales.

All data collected will be reported to the International Whaling Commission for use in whale population studies, Sato said.

In Canberra today, Australian Environment Dr. David Kemp, expressed his "grave disappointment" as Japan's whaling fleet heads for Antarctica. "Australia has a good relationship with Japan over most environment programs, but whale protection is one issue on which we differ," he said.

A minke whale, the target of the Japanese whaling fleet (Photo courtesy Safety First)

This summer a model of international cooperation on non-lethal research will pass through Australian waters, said Kemp.

"International crews aboard vessels provided by the Government of Japan will use solely non-lethal techniques to complete the IWC's Southern Ocean and Whale Ecosystem Research (SOWER) Circumpolar Cruise. This will continue to investigate the unresolved questions about the status of Southern Hemisphere minke whales," Kemp explained.

"The Australian government welcomes the involvement of scientists from Japan and other countries in non-lethal research, and the SOWER vessels will be welcomed next month in Hobart when they stop to re-supply en route."

Kemp said the Australian government will continue to argue for the exclusive use of non-lethal techniques as well as the establishment of a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary and a permanent end to commercial whaling at the next IWC meeting in Sorrento, Italy in July 2004.

At this year's IWC meeting in July, Kemp introduced a motion which called for Japan to stop issuing permits to take whales from the Southern Ocean Sanctuary and to embrace non-lethal techniques instead.

"Australia's Resolution passed with a clear majority, which made it abundantly clear that these whalers do not have the support of the international community," he said.

The IWC expressed concern over the Southern Hemisphere minke whale's population status, and recognized the emerging importance of alternative non-lethal research methodologies such as scat DNA sampling and biopsy samples.

The commission called on the government of Japan to halt its Antarctic research program or to revise it so that it is limited to non-lethal research methods.