Despite heavy international resistance , and a worldwide moratorium to cease the practice , the Japanese government still insists on whaling . As Japan make up one’s mind to begin whale in the North Pacific , the European Union hasissued a stately letterto the International Whaling Commission ( IWC ) condemning the move .
Even though commercial whaling was made illegal under the Whaling Convention that issue forth into berth in 1985 , Japan has not ceased its activity in harvest the marine mammalian . A loophole in the convention , which states that giant can be caught if it is for “ scientific ” purposes , signify that Japan has been able to largely neglect the international ruling , although it has greatly reduced its quota .
This haslong prompted fierce fightingfrom not only environmental groups , but also administration . This is because the whaling that Japan conducts often occurs in Antarctic waters claim by Australia . Many sound challenges have afterwards been brought against Japan , and the commonwealth was even taken to the International Court of Justice in 2014 . The result of that was a opinion that stated the old Japanese whaling program JARPA II was not for scientific purposes at all .
In response to that ruling Japan scrapped JARPA II , only for the suspiciously similar NEWREP - A broadcast to rise up and take its place . This twelvemonth saw the Japanese whale fleet coming back to port with 333 minke whales caught in Antarctic pee , while they have also set a self - allocated quota to take a further 134 endangered sei giant and 43 minke whale from the North Pacific .
In reply , the 25 EU member states that have signed the whaling convention areexpressing regretthat the William Holman Hunt in the North Pacific is still going onwards , despite late agreed principle that would mean any novel scientific programs need to be fully refresh by the IWC .
“ We applaud the EU for taking this crucial position and urge other IWC contracting government to add their voices to the call for Japan to stop over its sham ‘ scientific ’ whaling in the North Pacific , ” say the Head of the Environment Investigation Agency ’s Ocean Campaign , Clare Perry , ina statement . “ This hunt , which is all too often ignored , is not just unsustainable but contravenes international practice of law . ”
It is important to note here that Japan is byno means alonein continuing to William Holman Hunt whale . The EU should also be face nigher to dwelling , as this twelvemonth Norway determine a quota of 999 minke heavyweight , of which90 percent are expected to be pregnant females .
