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NORWEGIAN and Icelandic seafood companies will be waiting nervously after international talks to ban whaling collapsed yesterday.
Both countries, along with Japan, continue to hunt whales in spite of a global public outcry and there have been calls from environmental groups to boycott fish from the two Nordic nations.
So far, such calls have had little effect, but the campaign could gather momentum if pictures of whales being killed are flashed around the world by environmental organisations.
The International Whaling Commission has been trying since 2007 to reach a deal that would restrict the number of whales killed every year. But closed talks in Morocco, involving more than 80 countries have failed to find an agreement that will satisfy the three whaling countries. Commercial whaling has been illegal for almost 25 years but there are a number of loopholes such as whaling for 'scientific research' that allow whaling to continue. About 1,500 animals are killed each year by Japan, Norway and Iceland which critics say is far too many to justify claims of scientific research. The Japanese have bee accused of vote buying in attempt to swing some countries over to their cause.
Dr Susan Lieberman, director of international policy for the Pew Environment Group said: “We are deeply disappointed that the governments present here, after more than three years of intense work, could not reach a solution that will benefit whale conservation. In particular, the lack of sufficient flexibility shown by Japan to phase out its whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary prevented a decision from being adopted. Unregulated whaling outside of IWC control, by Japan, Norway, and Iceland, will now be able to continue."
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
