No Deals on Whaling

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No Deals on Whaling

(Anchorage, Alaska – 29 May 2007) — Now is not the time to compromise on whaling. IFAW urges the Australian Government to demand the withdrawal of Japan’s entire ‘scientific whaling’ program – not just the 50 humpback whales.

“So far the Australian Government has stood firm and refused to compromise on the killing of 50 humpbacks by Japan in the Southern Ocean. We call on the Australian Government to take a step further and demand an end to the entire Japanese whaling program,” IFAW Asia Pacific Director, Mick McIntyre, said from the meeting in Alaska.

“Until the Australian Government takes decisive action the deadlock between pro-whaling and anti-whaling nations at the IWC will continue. And in the meantime each year whales are still being killed in the name of science.

“Japan’s attempt to disguise its commercial whaling is an insult to modern science. It is time for this so called “scientific” whaling sham to stop,”Mr McIntyre said.

Since the global moratorium on whaling in 1986 more than 30,000 whales have been killed for commercial purposes. In the past 15 years Japan has increased its catch five-fold to 1200 whales each year –in November this year the Japanese whaling fleet will return to the Southern Ocean Sanctuary to kill 935 minke whales, 50 endangered fin whales and 50 humpback whales.

IFAW experts are attending this year’s meeting of the IWC. To learn more about IFAW’s global campaign to protect whales, and how you can join this important campaign, visit www.stopwhaling.com.au today.

ENDS

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