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IWC Member Nations and Their Stances on Whaling |
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| Gerald and Buff Corsi, Cal. Academy of Sciences |
Japan backed away from plans to kill humpback whales in 2008.
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How has your country voted on issues at International Whaling Commission (IWC) meetings? Is it aiding in the slaughter of whales or working for their protection? Is it for "normalizing" the IWC, which would mean returning to the days of uncontrolled whaling, or modernizing it?
Many countries do not engage in whaling, yet they vote at IWC meetings in favor of this inhumane and unneccessary activity. As Nicaragua's divergence from its history of supporting whaling demonstrates, there is always hope that countries will realize the benefits of protecting these magnificent animals.
If a country name is hyperlinked, click on it for more information.
|
Country |
Engages in whaling for commercial or so-called scientific purposes: |
Voted for a declaration at the IWC meeting in 2006 declaring that the commercial whaling moratorium is unnecessary: |
Voted for Japan's proposal to abolish the Southern Ocean Sanctuary: |
Attended Japan's "normalization" meeting, which promoted pro-whaling interests: |
|
Antigua & Barbuda |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Argentina |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Australia |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Austria |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Belgium |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Belize |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Benin |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Brazil |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Cambodia |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cameroon |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Chile |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
People's Republic of China |
No |
Abstained |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Costa Rica |
No |
behind in dues |
behind in dues |
No |
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
No |
Yes |
Absent |
Yes |
|
Croatia |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Cyprus |
No |
not yet an IWC member |
|
No |
|
Czech Republic |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Denmark |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Dominica |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Finland |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
France |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Gabon |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
The Gambia |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Germany |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Grenada |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Guatemala |
No |
Absent |
Absent |
Yes |
|
Republic of Guinea |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Hungary |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Iceland |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
India |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Ireland |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Israel |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Italy |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Japan |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Kenya |
No |
behind in dues |
behind in dues |
No |
|
Kiribati |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Luxembourg |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Republic of Korea |
No |
Yes |
Abstained |
Yes |
|
Mali |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Republic of the Marshall Islands |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mauritania |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mexico |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Monaco |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Mongolia |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Morocco |
No |
Yes |
Abstained |
Yes |
|
Nauru |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Netherlands |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
New Zealand |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Nicaragua |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Norway |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Oman |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Republic of Palau |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Panama |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Peru |
No |
behind in dues |
behind in dues |
No |
|
Portugal |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Russian Federation |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
San Marino |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
St. Kitts and Nevis |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
St. Lucia |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
St. Vincent & The Grenadines |
No |
Yes |
Abstained |
Yes |
|
Senegal |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Slovak Republic |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Slovenia |
No |
not yet an IWC member |
|
No |
|
Solomon Islands |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
South Africa |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Spain |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Suriname |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Sweden |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Switzerland |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Togo |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Tuvalu |
No |
Yes |
Abstained |
Yes |
|
UK |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
USA |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Posted May 24, 2007
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