Australia wins support for whale plan

AUSTRALIA has drummed up international support for its bid to stop Japanese whaling, with new rules protecting the mammals.

A five-strong Australian delegation to the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) three-day forum called for special permits to come under IWC scrutiny to prevent Japan killing whales in the name of science.

They also urged the forum to introduce fresh conservation plans to combat issues such as climate change, and internationally co-ordinated research programs aimed at closing "knowledge gaps" about the mammals.

But it emerged today discussions also included plans to lift the worldwide ban on whaling, with one British newspaper saying the proposal was "welcomed by both pro- and anti-whaling governments".

The plans would allow Japan to carry out a limited hunt in waters close to its shores, The Independent on Sunday reported.

In return, the world's main whaling nation would have to stop exploiting a loophole in international law under which each year it kills hundreds of whales around Antarctica in the name of scientific research.

The plans were reportedly presented by the governments of Argentina and the Netherlands to the closed meeting where participants were forbidden to disclose anything about the discussions.

The IWC, meanwhile, has criticised US-based anti-whaling group the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society over its actions to stop Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean.

The Australian Federal Police have been called in to investigate after clashes between Japanese whalers and Sea Shepherd's vessel, the Steve Irwin, escalated.

The Steve Irwin's captain, Paul Watson, has claimed he was hit in the chest by a bullet while wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Japan argues whaling is part of its culture and kills up to 1000 whales a year, exploiting a loophole in a 1986 global moratorium allowing "lethal research" on the mammals.

But some meat ends up in supermarkets.

Australia's submission, backed by federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, was not discussed in detail because the main focus of the forum was to examine ways the IWC can modernise its operations which have faltered because of bitter divisions between member countries.

But it is understood the ideas have attracted enough support from other countries to warrant them being raised at the IWC's 60th annual meeting in Santiago, Chile, in June.

More than 100 delegates from 46 countries including Japan, Britain, the United States, Norway and New Zealand attended the London meeting, called by IWC chairman William Hogarth to break the impasse between the pro- and anti-whaling blocs.

The IWC called on Sea Shepherd "to refrain from dangerous actions that jeopardise safety at sea, and on vessels and crews concerned to exercise restraint".

"The commission and its contracting governments do not condone and, in fact, condemn any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea," the statement said.

Watson said the IWC statement would not affect Sea Shepherd's efforts to stop the Japanese whalers.

"This is the 21st century, and the IWC should be an organisation to protect the world's whales from this barbaric practice," said Watson.

The IWC also said it would consider using small negotiating groups, adopting cooling-off periods when problems arise, and reducing the use of voting to help improve its operations.

Hogarth said: "Intensive discussions following presentations from outside experts isolated a number of issues that the commission will consider in order to improve its practice and procedures".

Along with Japan, Norway and Iceland are leading a push to re-introduce commercial whaling.
But, with other IWC members firmly against it, the commission - set up in the 1940s to conserve whale stocks and regulate development of the whaling industry - has struggled to reach decisions.

Greenpeace International Whales Campaign co-ordinator Sara Holden said changes were needed quickly to protect marine life from pressing threats.

"If you look at climate change issues, we are looking at a very different marine world than we were when the IWC was put in place and the commission will be out of step with the rest of the world if it doesn't take those kind of things into consideration," she said.

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