WASHINGTON,
D.C. (June 4, 2008) – Congressional leaders are calling
on the Bush Administration to stand up for whales at this month’s
annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Chile.
Recognizing the need for US leadership, House Natural Resources
Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and eight of his colleagues in
the House of Representatives, as well as Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), have introduced resolutions in
their respective chambers to send the message that the United States
must not be bullied into submission by pro-whaling interests.
“The message is simple. Now is not the
time to capitulate to calls to weaken or undermine the existing IWC
ban on commercial whaling,” said Chairman Rahall. “The American
people care deeply about protecting whales, and the United States
should continue on as an international leader in whale
conservation.”
The United States is the current
chair of the IWC, the international body founded over 60 years ago
to be responsible for the conservation of whales. Since that time, a
ban on commercial whaling has been instituted, two sanctuaries have
been established, and attitudes toward whale conservation have
improved. Yet while progress has been made, most of the great whales
still face an uncertain future – one that is made worse by
additional threats in the form of climate change, fishing gear
entanglement, overfishing of prey species, ship strikes, toxic
pollution, and lethal sonar.
However, the biggest threat to
whales comes from the member nations of Japan, Norway and Iceland,
which have flouted the whaling ban and continued to whale for
commercial gain by exploiting loopholes in the IWC Convention. Since the
moratorium was put into effect, these countries have killed more
than 25,000 whales, including over 11,000 who were taken under the
guise of “scientific research.” Just this week, Norway and Iceland
also resumed trade in whale meat with Japan, in flagrant defiance of
an international ban on such trafficking.
"In the face of increasing pressure
from pro-whaling nations, the US must reclaim its historic position
as a leader in whale conservation and support the moratorium on
commercial whaling. The time is running short to protect the world’s
dwindling whale populations,” said Senator Kerry.
Although the United States has been
an outspoken proponent of protecting the whales, most recently, US
officials have not exercised this leadership position. In fact,
rumored deals are said to have been initiated with the whalers.
The ban is now in jeopardy, since the pro-whaling
faction has recruited allied nations to join the IWC and convince
fellow members that the body is unworkable and at an impasse. Once
pro-conservation countries are now on the brink of capitulation and
are in desperate need of leadership. Having led international
efforts in the IWC to adopt the ban on commercial whaling, the
United States is the natural choice for assuming this role, and it
must do so before it is too late.
“This resolution serves to put the
United States back on track and reaffirm its historically strong
position in support of the whales. As current chair of the IWC; the
United States holds a very important role and must extend all
efforts to refocus the body toward its much-needed conservation
aims,” said Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) Research Associate Susan
Millward. “AWI commends Chairman Rahall, Senator Kerry, Senator
Boxer, and their colleagues for sponsoring this important
resolution.”.
CONTACT:
Chris Heyde, (703) 836-4300
For over 57 years
the Animal Welfare Institute has been the leading voice for animals
across the country and on Capitol Hill to reduce the sum total of
pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. To learn more about
us, please visit
www.awionline.org.
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