Japan is proposing to expand its ‘scientific’ whaling programme in the Southern Ocean to include humpback whales, fin whales and an increased quota of minke whales, and will try to win the vote on this issue at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Annual Meeting next month.

Japan has continued to hunt whales in the IWC declared Southern Ocean Sanctuary around Antarctica despite the IWC’s 1986 Worldwide Moratorium on commercial whaling. Japan has been able to get away with this under the guise of ‘scientific whaling’ by exploiting a legal loophole in Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW). Article VIII allows Governments to grant a special permit to their nationals authorising the killing of whales for scientific research.

There is no scientific basis for Japan's submission. Lethal research is not necessary to provide the information required for management of whale populations of any species. Japan is allowed to sell the whale meat obtained from its ‘scientific’ harvests and this revenue is helping to keep its ageing whaling fleet afloat.

Whale watching is a thriving business in Australia as we move towards a more evolved and compassionate attitude towards our environment. A large majority of the world’s population stands against whaling. It is time that Japan listened.

Act Now! Sign the petition, voice your opinion and help protect our precious marine life by keeping pressure on John Howard and the Australian Government.