WWF today praised the announcement from Environment Minister Peter Garrett that Australia will push the IWC to end whaling in the Southern Ocean and advance the cause of whale conservation worldwide.
Rob Nicoll, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manager with WWF-Australia said:
"Australia has produced an excellent proposal that cuts through the doublespeak of the IWC proposal put forward earlier this week.
"WWF supports the government’s position. Their proposal recognises that the status of whale populations is significantly depleted. If accepted it will uphold the current moratorium and ensure that existing internationally recognised sanctuaries are indeed sanctuaries where no whales will be killed."
WWF expressed grave concern earlier in the week that a proposal from the Small Working Group (SWG) within the IWC would allow for whaling to continue in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, and the setting of arbitrary quotas that led to the current decimation of whale populations.
More information
Rob Nicoll, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manage, 0438 938 764
Jonathon Larkin, WWF Media Officer, 0410 221 410, [email protected]