Dominica will not support overturn of commercial whaling ban

Dominica will not support overturn of commercial whaling ban

June 12, 2008
Caribbean Net News

ROSEAU, Dominica: The government of Dominica, known as The Nature Island, has confirmed that it will not support an overturn of the worldwide commercial whaling ban at the upcoming IWC (International Whaling Commission) annual meeting which will be held in Santiago, Chile from June 23-28, 2008.

Prime Minister of Dominica,
Roosevelt Skerrit.
AFP PHOTO

“In common with most of our Caribbean neighbors, Dominica remains strongly in favor of the sustainable use of marine resources,” said Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica. “Our stringent environmental practices and philosophies have earned us the label, ‘The Nature Island’ and, upon careful review and deliberation of the issue, it has been determined that voting for an overturn of the existing worldwide ban on commercial whaling would be inconsistent with the standards and principles of sustainability that we so fervently advocate.”

Dominica itself is not a whaling nation, nor is whaling permitted in its territorial waters. The island’s tourism industry is nature-based and relies heavily on niche market “responsible tourists” who seek out environmentally friendly leisure travel destinations.

It is renowned for its pristine natural environment and outstanding eco-adventure options including scuba diving, hiking, kayaking and whale-watching. In fact, Dominica is known as the "Whale Watching Capital of the Caribbean" with 22 species sighted in its waters and a 95% success record on whale watching tours.

The island’s deep waters close to shore also make it one of the few places in the world to see the magnificent sperm whale.

In recent years, Japan and other pro-whaling nations have failed to obtain the 75% of votes needed to overturn the IWC moratorium. The moratorium became effective in 1986 following the vote by IWC members four years earlier to ban all commercial whaling beginning in the 1985-86 season in order to protect endangered species of whales and preserve the delicate balance of the global marine environment.

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in December of 1946. The purpose of the Convention is to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry. The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review and revise as necessary the measures laid down in the Schedule to the Convention which govern the conduct of whaling throughout the world.

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