Whaling

China would like to bring to the table the issue of Whaling, and would like to know where other countries stand on the issue. Currently, the Japanese government are saying they want to continue hunting whales, and indeed want to double their huint production AND extend their hunt to whales considered "Endangered". However, recently big Japanese businesses have pulled out of the hunt saying it is bad for business, but still the Government insists on continuing.

China thinks Whaling is utterly deplorable and will oppose Japan as much as possible. We would also like to call for them to be better protected.

Reply 1

Dhesi

2

Italy agrees whaling is deplorable. Could the Chinese representative expand on the idea of better protection and what this would involve before Italy makes a decision on this part of the issue.

Reply 2

Longshoredrift80

10

The US has recently modified it's long-standing policy of supporting the moratorium on commercial whaling and is now conducting negotiations regarding a Revised Management Scheme for the resumption of commercial whaling.

Reply 3

brimstone

7

India condems all whaling, including that done by Japan and Iceland. India would like to ask the Icelandic representative why whales are needed for research?

Reply 4

aiman

12

Recently, Germany's marine wing has classified some whales as being 'unendangered'. Germany will therefore reconsider its ban on whaling in upcoming debates.

Reply 5

benthe

For Iceland, whaling is part of their tradition and culture. Even though we think that Japan might be too aggressive in fighting for their way of whaling, we still wanna see our legimate right to hunt wales according to our culture.
The Icelandic parliament tries to show that whaling is seen as a part of culture in our society and is only done by certain ethnic groups.

iceland doesn't support japan in the case of whaling, but it tries to highlight that countries shouldn't judge whaling before knowing the countries reason for it.

The representative of the Republic of Iceland wants to state that icelands policy on whaling doesn't match with her own opinion!(i'm just doing my job :wink:

)

Reply 6

brimstone

7

If the representative for Iceland is saying that whaling is part of the culture of the society and is only done by certain ethnic groups, why is the official Icelandic comment that it is done for scientific research, and why does the government pay people to do it?

Reply 7

benthe

India condems all whaling, including that done by Japan and Iceland. India would like to ask the Icelandic representative why whales are needed for research?

Our idea of whaling is that it's main use is seen in satisfying our native groups.
Iceland wants to state that we are currently trying stop whaling for research interests. Even though we admit that whaling for research interests cannot be tolerated, we cannot change our traditions and sticking to this: a small amount on research( why not doing research on whales that are hunted anyway)

Finally , Iceland wants to make sure not to be put on the same level with Japan, which acts more brutal and in much larger amounts!

Reply 8

Nightowl

OP

12

China agrees that japan is much worse than other countries such as Iceland.

(On issue of Whaling of course :wink:

)

Reply 9

RichyP

The Ukraine is a country without any major whaling traditions (surprise surprise). We believe that whaling is a problem but would like to point out that many other species of aquatic creatures (I was going to say fish, but whales aren't fish) such as cod are dying out due to overfishing. Would it be hypocrisy to condemn nations for hunting whales whilst still overfishing these fish?

Reply 10

strawberry

13

Malaysia has no qualms about choosing whether to condemn or to support whaling. We agree that it is a cruel activity and is only executed for the purpose of gaining profit.
In other words, Yuck. :P

Reply 11

ElWilson

14

Greece feels that whaling is inhumane, as well uninfluencial to any of Japan's economy - if it proves to be so useless to the country; why is it still lawful?

Reply 12

UnaChance

Whaling is quite inhumane yes, and requests that Japan, Iceland and all other countries that support whaling rethink their postion in hunting the animals.

Reply 13

brimstone

7

ElWilson

Greece feels that whaling is inhumane, as well uninfluencial to any of China's economy - if it proves to be so useless to the country; why is it still lawful?

India asks where does China come into this? Surely Greece means Japan.

Reply 14

UnaChance

ElWilson

Greece feels that whaling is inhumane, as well uninfluencial to any of China's economy - if it proves to be so useless to the country; why is it still lawful?

I do believe that as the OP stated, we were debating Japan, not China

Reply 15

Nightowl

OP

12

China also presumes you mean Japan.

Reply 16

hello_miffy

Spain believes that the severe depletion of whale stocks in the past has made it imperative to consciously protect them now.

The Buenos Aires Declaration of November 2005, at which the Spanish Commisioner was present, condemns so called ‘scientific whaling’, supports the continuation of the moratorium on commercial whaling and clearly identifies that the whales of the world are not the property of any one nation and are instead, a natural resource in which many countries have a vested interest. Spain also supports "sanctuaries" and areas of active whale conservation, but wishes for these conservation areas to be based on scientific evidence of suitable locations.

We are concerned over Japans proposals, and would await more details over why Japan sees these actions as necessary, and indeed, just.