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Japan backed away from plans to hunt humpbacks, but still pursues fins and minkes.

Caribbean nations do not hunt whales for commercial or "scientific" purposes and they have growing whale watching industries. It is therefore difficult to understand why they vote in line with pro-whaling countries at the International Whaling Committee's annual meetings.

At last year's meeting, six Caribbean nations voted with Japan, declaring the moratorium on commercial whaling unnecessary, blaming whales for depleting commercial fish stocks and claiming that non-governmental conservation organizations are threatening governments. These nations helped to turn the tide of the IWC towards pro-whaling interests:

• St. Kitts and Nevis
• Antigua and Barbuda
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• St. Lucia
• Dominica
• Grenada

Some contend that these countries are voting with Japan in return for economic aid. However, since the Caribbean nations rely on tourism and live whales are a valuable asset, it is in these nations' best interests to resist pressure by pro-whaling countries and vote in favor of conservation.

Points to Consider

• The growth in whale watching means that a live whale is more profitable than a dead one.  It isn't just the tour operators who benefit from whale watching: Local communities profit from tourist dollars spent on restaurants, lodging, and other services. A return to commercial whaling would not bring in tourists or benefit communities and businesses.
• Whales do not eat all of the fish.  Most food eaten by whales consists of species that fisheries do not target. Further, whales tend to feed in areas where humans do not fish. In fact, few whales eat in the Caribbean at all!  They are there to breed, and they feed in the northern regions.  Killing natural predators to increase prey populations has been discredited by the scientific and credible management communities--it is as an ineffective way to protect prey species.
• Commercial whaling resulted in the near extinction of many species of whales, and they have not fully recovered.  Increasing numbers and species of whales are being killed.
• Read more about whaling issues.

Updated June 16, 2008