Defending Whales: Commercial whaling ban reinforced at IWC in Anchorage

Posted by Dave (at the last day of the International Whaling Commission, in Anchorage, Alaska)

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A round of applause just echoed around the chamber – a majority vote of 37-4 in favour of the CITES resolution has effectively overturned the St. Kitts Declaration from last year’s IWC. The St. Kitt’s resolution, which effectively declared that a ban on commercial whaling was no longer need, has now been overturned!ed

The St. Kitts, co-sponsor of last year’s pro-whaling declaration actually admitted it before the vote – saying that the adoption of the CITES resolution would effectively repeal the St. Kitts Declaration.

This reconfirms that the 1986 moratorium (i.e. ban) on commercial whaling is as valid today as it was two decades years ago. Nice to see the IWC working as it should work! Time for some celebration…

Draft resolution on CITES
CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Wikipedia: CITES