Yarmouth Port, USA: The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) claims documents released by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) have confirmed the United States' leadership in negotiations to undo the "global moratorium on commercial whaling" and "extend authorisation to the government of Japan to kill whales off its coastline and in international waters."
"The plan released… is a bad deal for whales and international efforts to protect them," said Patrick Ramage, IFAW Global Whale Program Director. "It would lift the commercial whaling moratorium, give new rights to the government of Japan to kill protected whales, and permit illegal, high-seas whaling to continue.
"Rather than compromising hard-won conservation measures and finding ways for whaling to expand, the IWC and its member governments should be negotiating the terms under which Japan, Norway and Iceland will end their commercial whaling activities."
IFAW also claims text drafted by US, Japanese and other commissioners engaged in an IWC working group process contemplates legitimising Japan's ongoing scientific whaling in international waters, including an internationally recognised whale sanctuary, as well as extending long-sought authorisation to Japan to kill protected whales in its coastal waters.
"This is not the first issue on the new Obama administration's agenda, but it is perhaps one of the most fundamental and fastest to fix," Mr Ramage said. "The time has come to end the drift in US policy on whaling and renew America's conservation leadership."