Greenpeace says legal bid alone not enough to stop whaling

Auckland, 15 December 2010

Greenpeace says Governments needs to look beyond a legal bid to stop Japan whaling in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced today that the New Zealand Government has decided not to file as a party to Australia's legal action in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Japanese 'scientific' whaling in the Southern Ocean, but will instead 'intervene' formally in the case.

Greenpeace New Zealand Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid said the ICJ route was not a guaranteed way to stop Japan whaling in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.

“By itself this is not going to enough to stop the annual slaughter. It’s going to be expensive and will likely take a long time. Governments need to use every opportunity to increase the pressure on Japan to end whaling,” she said.

“We believe that a change of heart in Japan will come because of the costs to the Japanese taxpayer and the obvious futility of continuing to operate an industry that simply cannot sell its product. It’s a wasteful and economically unsustainable business that is also damaging Japan’s international relationships.”

At the end of September Japan’s stockpile of whale meat had increased to more than 5,600 tonnes (1). The whaling fleet en route to the Southern Ocean this year has been reduced and will likely be there for a shorter season due to its delayed departure. (2)

ENDS

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