Wdcs Counters: Is This A 'peace Plan' Or 'whalers Charter'?

WDCS counters the statement from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Chairman and Vice-Chair: is this a 'peace plan' or 'whalers charter'?

On the 7th May 2010 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Chairman and Vice-Chair issues a press release, through the mechanism of the IWC website, entitled: 'If you really care about whale conservation - give our proposal a fair reading'

The Chairman's and Vice-Chair's proposal is portrayed as a 'peace plan', when it is actually a 'whalers charter'. The release creates a series of new terms for whaling not contained in the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling. The compromises it suggests are not necessarily good, nor appropriate; especially as the statement admits that none of the conservation concerns will be addressed.

"WDCS has given the proposed 'deal' fair and careful reading, but no matter how you look at it, it's 'whalers charter'. We urge conservation Governments not to give in to the blackmail, and save whales, not whaling" said Chris Butler-Stroud, WDCS CEO.

For media comment:
Margi Prideaux: +61 414 555 398 (Australia)
Niki Entrup +49 1717 1423 117 (Europe)

Reference:
WDCS rebuttal to the IWC Chairman and Vice-Chair release:
http://www.wdcs.org/lead_campaign_details.php?select=630

IWC Chairman and Vice-Chair press release:
http://iwcoffice.org/_documents/commission/IWC62docs/press%20release.pdf

WDCS analysis of the 'deal':
http://www.wdcs.org/submissions_bin/iwc_whaling_proposal_2010.pdf

SOURCE: WDCS, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society