Japan sparked international criticism in 2007 when it proposed adding 50 humpback whales to its Antarctic hunt this season, the largest ever whale hunt conducted in the name of ‘scientific research’. Although the Japanese government in late December announced that it will ‘delay’ the planned killing of humpback whales this year, giving these majestic animals a temporary reprieve, 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales in Antarctica still face the whalers' harpoons. The fin whale is listed as ‘endangered’ on the IUCN red list of threatened species.
Japanese whalers use penthrite grenades mounted on a harpoon as the primary killing method for all whale species targeted in their ‘research’ hunts. In cases where instantaneous death does not occur (as high as 45.5% of minke whales killed in the 2004/05 Antarctic hunt) a secondary method may be used, either another exploding harpoon, a ‘cold’ harpoon (i.e. with no explosive) or a rifle.
In December, WDCS joined forces with other conservation groups and called on members of the House of Representatives to help protect whales. A letter, circulated by Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX), and supported by more than 80 other representatives was sent to President Bush asking him to take a strong stand against Japan’s expanded whaling activities, and Japanese efforts to undermine the International Whaling Commission. A similar letter was sent from the Senate.
Japan’s research whale kill received strong international condemnation, and on December 21st, thirty countries and the European Union joined together to deliver a written diplomatic statement –known as a demarche – to Japan’s Foreign Ministry. The declaration called on Japan to cease all its lethal scientific research on whales and to assure the immediate return of the vessels engaged in that hunt. The US was notably absent from the demarche.
Some authorities believe that Japan is using humpback whales as part of a long-term strategy to put pressure on the International Whaling Commission to gain support for a commercial hunt for coastal whaling in Japanese waters. Kate O’Connell of WDCS said, “Even if Japan has agreed not to end the lives of 50 humpback whales at this point, we must not forget that it will continue to kill cruelly almost 1,000 animals in their Antarctic hunt and a further 280 in their Pacific hunt.”
WDCS is deeply concerned that the US did not join the rest of the international community in calling on Japan to cease all of its lethal scientific hunts. We urge all WDCS supporters to contact the US Secretary of Commerce and urge him to insure that the US stands strong against commercial whaling, and to reject any concessions to Japan’s whalers.
Contact: The Honorable Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 and/or cgutierrez@doc.gov
