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Trade in whale products comes under international scrutiny

Over 100 countries from around the world are meeting to consider revisions to the protection status of plants and animals, including whales that have, or need protection from international commercial trade. The 12 day conference of the 171 parties to CITES, (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) began in the Hague, Netherlands on the 3rd of June.

At this year's meeting, two key proposals relating to the protection afforded to whales will be debated. Japan's proposal that CITES conduct a review of the status of all whales currently protected from whaling and trade highlights their desire to profit further from their hunts.

WDCS's Sue Fisher said "Japan hopes that following a review of the population status of whales, CITES itself would recommend that some species be downlisted, thus lifting some of the restrictions on trade. Should this proposal be adopted, we could eventually see a return to the days when international trade fuelled an out of control whaling industry".

Iceland has also submitted a proposal to CITES. It wants the body to review the protection afforded to the Central North Atlantic Stock of Fin whales which Iceland began hunting last year in a new commercial whaling programme. Like all other great whales, fin whales are currently protected under CITES appendix one, which means that international commercial trade in their meat and other products is banned. Sue Fisher continued "If this protection were lifted, it could spell disaster for these populations, about which little is currently known.”

You can read the press releases from CITES 2007 by visiting our website at http://whales.org.