Stop Japan from Commercial Whaling

Primary Focus: To convince the International Whaling Commission to deny Japan's most recent request for a commercial whaling program in coastal waters.

Secondary Focus: To convince the IWC to close the loophole that allows Japan to kill protected Minke and endangered humpback and fin whales in the protected Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Background Info: Japan uses a "loophole" to kill whales in a protected whale sanctuary claiming they are doing perfectly legal research activities.  However, the meat is packaged and frozen for commercial distribution on a large "mothership" called the Nisshin Maru that travels with the Japanese Whaling Fleet.  It is widely known, and agreed by experts, including the IWC that Japan's research isn't substantial enough to justify the killing of these great whales.

In 2007, the IWC issued "Resolution 2007-1" which states:

the IWC is:

CONVINCED that the aims of JARPA II do not address critically important research needs;

the IWC

FURTHER CALLS UPON the Government of Japan to suspend indefinitely the lethal aspects of JARPA II conducted within the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Resolution 2007-1 (RESOLUTION ON JARPA) is located on the IWC's website at:

http://www.iwcoffice.org/Meetings/resolutions/resolution2007.htm

Despite this, Japan uses their leverage against much smaller island nations to get them to join the IWC and vote in their favor in return for "favors", or kickbacks to their country.  This provides them with enough votes to continue their research program.

HOW THIS PETITION WILL HELP END WHALING

Recently the United Nations passed new laws that will ban the Nisshin Maru from operating in the Southern Oceans using heavy oil.  The ship can be operated of course with alternative oils, but at a much greater cost - a cost that Japan does not want to pay, since their whaling program is losing money each year.  Thus, Japan is looking for a new way to keep their research whaling in "business".

The idea they came up with is to make a "deal" to the IWC: 

"Let us have a commercial whaling operation in our coastal waters, and we'll scale back our research whaling in the Southern Oceans". 

We intend to get this petition read in open session at the June 2010 IWC meeting to speak with a strong and clear united voice that we, as a global community, do not want Japan to have a commercial whaling program in their coastal waters and that the IWC should close the loophole in current regulations that allows Japan to slaughter whales in a protected whale sanctuary. 

Our main hope is that at the very least, the IWC will deny Japan%u2019s request for commercial whaling.  At least with that, it will be economically unfeasible for them to continue their whaling program in the Southern Oceans due to the sharply increased cost of operating the Nisshin Maru south of 60 degrees.

Thank you,

Oceanic Rescue and Cetacean Action Society