U.S. Leads New Bid to Phase Out Whale Hunting

[ClarkUSA]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The United States is leading an effort by a handful of antiwhaling nations to broker an agreement that would limit and ultimately end whale hunting by Japan, Norway and Iceland, according to people involved with the negotiations.

The compromise deal, which has generated intense controversy within the 88-nation International Whaling Commission and among antiwhaling activists, would allow the three whaling countries to continue hunting whales for the next 10 years, although in reduced numbers.

In exchange, the whaling nations — which have long exploited loopholes in an international treaty that aims to preserve the marine mammals — would agree to stricter monitoring of their operations, including the placing of tracking devices and international monitors on all whaling ships and participation in a whale DNA registry to track global trade in whale products.

Officials involved in the negotiations expressed tentative hope that they could reach an agreement in coming weeks...

“This is one of the toughest negotiations I’ve been involved in in 38 years,” said Cristián Maquieira, the veteran Chilean diplomat who is the chairman of the commission. “If this initiative fails now, it means going back to years of acrimony.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/science/earth/15whale.html?hp

This is a bold gambit. There's not a day that goes by that I am not thankful that U.S. policy is being led by Team Obama and not BushCo. I hope the measure passes. Japan is being a pisser, as usual, which is why I boycott all of their goods.

[LakeSamish706]

1. But we may have to Nuke both North Korea and Japan to accomplish this. n/t

[flvegan]

2. Spineless bunch of shits.

And in 10 years? We'll get the same "fuck you" we get from these asshole whaling nations. Fuck them.

Send the whaling vessels to the bottom, a la the Hvalur 6 and 7.

[Cha]

3. Thanks for the news, Clark..

I appreciate the efforts by the United States on this crisis. Leave our Whales Alone.

[tblue]

4. Long live Sea Shepherd!!! Whale hunting is INCREDIBLY CRUEL!!!

The more you know, the more you will want to support the Whale Warriors of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which actively STOPS illegal whaling.

http://www.seashepherd.org/
OR
http://www.facebook.com/seashepherdconservationsociety?v=wall

[ZombieHorde]

5. The article does not mention US whaling. Will the new treaty apply to us as well?

Japan is being a pisser, as usual, which is why I boycott all of their goods.

I try to boycott US goods because of the wars. Food can be difficult.

[FrenchieCat]

6. I hope this pays off!

[TheKentuckian]

7. I suggest starting negotiations at

'return your whaling vessels home and never send them to sea again for this purpose or we we send them to the bottom of the sea or blow them from the waters'.

My backup plan is to shot first and ask questions later.