Chile moves for permanent whaling ban

Chile has declared a permanent ban on whaling in its waters, the government confirmed on its website on Tuesday.

Izvor: Ria novosti

Tuesday, 24.06.2008.

13:11

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Chile has declared a permanent ban on whaling in its waters, the government confirmed on its website on Tuesday. The move was first announced by President Michelle Bachelet on Monday at the opening of the 60th International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Chile. Chile moves for permanent whaling ban Bachelet also endorsed making Chile's coastal waters a sanctuary for 43 whale species. The proposal is still to be approved by Congress. There are currently around 2,200 blue whales, 100 times less than at the start of the 19th century. A Chilean whaling moratorium was previously set to expire in 2025. Representatives of 80 nations are gathering in the Chilean capital Santiago for the annual, meeting the IWC. The 62-year-old consortium, which governs the manner and extent of global whaling, has been split in recent years by forces opposed to commercial whaling and those in favor of it. The IWC imposed a moratorium on the practice in 1986. But Japan continues to hunt whales under a provision that allows for whaling for scientific purposes. It plans to introduce a resolution at this year's meeting that will allow it to resume commercial whaling in its coastal waters. Iceland and Norway have both resumed commercial whaling, ignoring the ban altogether. But Australia, which opposes commercial whaling, says it will push for stronger conservation measures. A group of Latin American countries, known as the Buenos Aires Group, is expected to push for expansion of whale sanctuaries. Among the other issues to addressed during the week-long conference are whale-related tourism and the effect of climate change on whales.

Chile moves for permanent whaling ban

Bachelet also endorsed making Chile's coastal waters a sanctuary for 43 whale species. The proposal is still to be approved by Congress.

There are currently around 2,200 blue whales, 100 times less than at the start of the 19th century.

A Chilean whaling moratorium was previously set to expire in 2025.

Representatives of 80 nations are gathering in the Chilean capital Santiago for the annual, meeting the IWC.

The 62-year-old consortium, which governs the manner and extent of global whaling, has been split in recent years by forces opposed to commercial whaling and those in favor of it. The IWC imposed a moratorium on the practice in 1986.

But Japan continues to hunt whales under a provision that allows for whaling for scientific purposes. It plans to introduce a resolution at this year's meeting that will allow it to resume commercial whaling in its coastal waters.

Iceland and Norway have both resumed commercial whaling, ignoring the ban altogether.

But Australia, which opposes commercial whaling, says it will push for stronger conservation measures. A group of Latin American countries, known as the Buenos Aires Group, is expected to push for expansion of whale sanctuaries.

Among the other issues to addressed during the week-long conference are whale-related tourism and the effect of climate change on whales.

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