The whaling ban was introduced because some species of whales were in danger of being wiped out. Since the whaling ban in 1986, the number of whales killed PER YEAR is estimated to have been reduced from 38,000 to 2,000. Even with the ban in place, whaling still happens especially in Japan, Iceland, & Norway where they are openly defiant to the ban.
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the official whaling overseer and currently has no control over the illegal whaling that takes place. So this deal, allowing some whaling, is supposed to ultimately save the whales. (I know, it's confusing to me too.)
The idea is that if whaling was legal, the IWC would have more control over whaling activities, countries would have a limit to how many whales they can catch, no new countries would be allowed to whale, and there would be a DNA registry of whale meat to track illegal trade. So the deal hopes to reduce the TOTAL number of whales killed while allowing some whales to be hunted commercially.
Environmental activists are not buying it. Technically, it would officially legitimize whaling, and they are worried that after a bit more negotiating, the number of whales allowed to be hunted will rise. Plus the deal only covers 10 years, so after that it might be a whale hunt free for all. Plus many animal right's activists argue that blasting whales with exploding harpoons is a cruel and inhumane practice, as the whales suffer a slow and painful death, and we should not be moving backwards in the progress that has been made in animal rights.
Last weekend there were many protests around the country. Here in Miami Beach, Greenpeace, the Big Blue & You, ECOMB, swimmers, surfers, animal and ocean lovers came together on Miami Beach to say "SAVE THE WHALES!!" and bring awareness to this situation.
Video from the protest:
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Call the White House comment line at (202) 456-1111 and ask the President to save the whales.
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