Stop the Sell-out by the US Delegation to the Government of Japan and the IWC

Negotiations to Overturn the Ban on Commercial Whaling Must Stop!

Ever since the Presidency of Richard Nixon, the official policy of the United States has been to oppose commercial whaling.

But the Bush Administration has, for the past two years, been pushing a “compromise” at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) that would legalize the killing of thousands of whales, dolphins and porpoises by Japan, Iceland and Norway.

Japan claims to be conducting “scientific research” in the waters of Antarctica and the Western North Pacific by killing almost a thousand whales each year – and each year, their quota has increased. Despite the limited demand, the meat, in order not to be “wasted”, is sold in markets in Japan. Japan also allows the slaughter of about 23,000 dolphins and porpoises annually off its shores and has refused to reduce these kills in the face of opposition from the IWC Scientific Committee. Furthermore, Japan has pushed the IWC to legalize “coastal whaling” for profit, erroneously claiming their local “culture” of whale killing is imperiled by the whaling ban. As such, despite intense international pressure, Japan has repeatedly disrupted meetings of the IWC and blocked progress on other issues.

Iceland and Norway also kill whales, having exploited loopholes in the IWC convention to exempt themselves from the moratorium on commercial whaling, approved by the IWC back in 1983 and, in Iceland’s case, also conducting lethal “research whaling”.

The Bush Administration has entered into secret negotiations, closed off to interest groups and the public, to reach a deal with Japan that is supported by Norway and Iceland, to legitimize the killing of whales. At a time when Japan is under intense international pressure to stop whaling, the demand for whale meat is dwindling and the Japanese whaling interests are in an economic tailspin, the Bush Administration has intervened to get Japan off the hook. While President Bush recently left office, the US IWC delegation continues to perpetuate his legacy of capitulating to Japan.

What You Can Do:

President Barack Obama must hear from the public that he needs to reverse the US position and stop these negotiations. His new Administration is very busy with other priorities, but a deal with Japan on whaling may be reached as soon as this March.

Please send a letter, or e-mail, or make a call to President Obama.

Urge him to:

• Reform the US Delegation to the International Whale Commission.
• Stop the negotiations for a whaling deal with Japan.
• Adhere to long-standing US policy of maintaining the commercial whaling moratorium. This should include stopping negotiations on allowing commercial whaling under a guise of “cultural” whaling or some other euphemism.
• Commit to using the US’ considerable political, economic and diplomatic resources to end the killing of whales and dolphins for commercial purposes now.

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500

White House public comment line: 202-456-1111

White House e-mail, go to: whitehouse.gov/contact

Thank you for making a difference for whales, dolphins and porpoises.