Subject: Re: GWA : News update IWC Korea

Dear All

There are some 50 whale meat restaurants here in South Korea with only 8
minke whales reported as illegally killed last year by Korea. It is
estimated that as many as 300 whales, including endangered species such as
humpback, sei and blue whales could be accidentally 'caught' in fishing
nets each year, as well as untold numbers of dolphins.

Obviously, these specialised whale meat restaurants cannot rely on just
'accidental' catches alone to provide all this meat, and there is little
enforcement of the whaling ban by the authorities here. The IWC's Scientific

Committee has stated there is clearly more whale meat available here than
can be accounted for by bycatches alone.

With many governments now seemingly anxious to compromise and adopt a
Revised Management Scheme (RMS) and lift the commercial whaling ban this
demonstrates there is still no way to control whaling during the ongoing
moratorium, let alone under an RMS.

"We are up to our necks in whale meat here in South Korea despite a supposed

ban on commercial whaling' said Campaign Whale's Andy Ottaway " If it's bad
now, just imagine what will happen if they lift the whaling ban"

Fears are rife here in Ulsan that the whalers may get a majority of votes
for the first time in almost a quarter of a century. At this mornings
opening session 6 new countries were announced as members: Nauru, Mali,
Gambia, Cameroon, Kiribati and Togo, and all supported Japan in an attempt
to remove welfare and conservation issues, whale-watching and proposed new
whale sanctuaries off the IWC's agenda. These new countries also backed a
Japanese proposal to introduce secret ballots into the Commission.
Fortunately, both votes failed, but only by one vote in the first instance
and three in the second. If all of Japan's new allies had turned up on time
we would have lost these votes today.

The fate of the whales is on a knife-edge here and anyone that cares about
the whales should be demanding that their governments reject any compromise
deals on the RMS. There is plemty of time for Japan to bring in new
countries here so anything can happen this week.

This morning we are discussing the RMS. Japan has tabled an RMS that is
totally unacceptible but may still get a majority vote. It proposes nothing
to limit so-called 'scientific' whaling and even includes their reservation
on the use of the cruel non-explosive 'cold' harpoons.

Meanwhile, a group of the compromise-minded countries, seemingly led by
Sweden seem set to table a counter resolution calling for the RMS to be
completed next year. Neither is good news for the whales.

More as it happens.

Best wishes

Andy Ottaway

For further info please contact Andy Ottaway in Ulsan on +82 010-9524-0980