Rift Widens Over Whale Hunting

A furious Iceland stormed out of the annual world whaling summit on Tuesday and fellow pro-whaler Japan suffered a blow when the International Whaling Commission voted down its bid to expand its catch.

The acrimonious start to the five-day meeting, which began in this former whaling hub on Monday, underscores deep divisions within the 48-nation IWC over whether the global ban it imposed in 1986 on commercial whaling should be lifted.

By far the most serious blow to pro-whalers came when Iceland, saying the IWC had been hijacked by anti-whaling nations, walked out of the annual summit, a day after its bid full membership was rejected.

"This has gone too far," Stefan Asmundsson, head of Iceland's IWC delegation, told reporters after Iceland's delegates walked out to scattered applause from the floor. "They have gone against our rights."

Japan's bid to take 50 minke whales in nearby offshore waters was also rejected on the second day of the five-day annual meeting, held in a former whaling center in southwestern Japan.

But in a widely-expected defeat for anti-whaling groups, proposals to create two new whale sanctuaries in the southern hemisphere fell through, failing to collect the three-quarters vote needed for passage.

Both proposals, one for the South Pacific and one for the South Atlantic, have been voted down in past annual meetings.

"There is no scientific basis for whale sanctuaries," said Japanese delegation head Minoru Morimoto.

Japan and other pro-whaling nations say sanctuaries are unnecessary because whales are already protected by a 1986 whaling moratorium.

Japanese delegation members have also said setting sanctuaries in general, is a violation of international maritime laws and that the country is considering bringing the case to the International Court of Justice.

Australia and New Zealand, the most fervent proponents of sanctuaries, say populations of some whale species are still dangerously low and sanctuaries are vital to their survival.

Although disappointed by the proposals' rejection, supporters said they were encouraged because the number of votes in favor had increased over the last year.

"I think today's outcome is positive and a step forward towards the establishment of a whale sanctuary in the South Pacific," said New Zealand Conservation Minister Sandra Lee.

Monday's rejection of Iceland's attempt to gain voting rights in the IWC was a big defeat for pro-whaling nations such as Norway and host Japan, which had hoped to take a crucial step towards a simple majority and shift the balance of power in favor of their campaign to end a ban on commercial whaling.

"We can't sit here and appear to be a party to this illegal act," said Asmundsson, repeating his charge that the United States, a leader of the anti-whaling camp and the country responsible for receiving membership applications, had treated Iceland unfairly.

Like Japan, Iceland believes that abundant whale species are consuming its fish stocks and should be hunted within limits.

Iceland reapplied for membership last year after walking out a decade ago in disgust at the IWC's anti-whaling stance, but it refused to agree to the 1986 commercial whaling moratorium.

An acrimonious vote resulted in its admission only as a non-voting observer.

Iceland opposes but has abided by the worldwide ban. Asmundsson hinted Tuesday that it might consider resuming commercial whaling without the IWC's approval.

But he said the country will first review the situation and explore its options, including a membership of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission, a Norway-based international body for conservation and management of whales and mammals in their waters.

"From the political point of view, it is much better to do it within the framework of the international organization," he said. "We were hoping to do this within the IWC ... We are going to have to sit down and evaluate the whole situation."

Asmundsson said the rejection of the membership bid by Iceland raised questions about the future of the IWC itself.

"Obviously, this raises doubts about the effectiveness of the IWC. What is the point of it?" he said. "After all, it's a whaling organization. We wanted to contribute to a management system within the IWC and that's why we wanted to be a member."

Iceland was especially angered by the fact that six other new members, including landlocked Mongolia, had their applications approved while its own was set aside for "handling" by the IWC.

The U.S. delegation dismissed Iceland's complaints.

"Did we do anything improper? Absolutely not," said its delegation chief, Rolland Schmitten. "I think Iceland should be a member, but not with a privileged condition no one else has."

Japan had hoped to gain a simple majority in the IWC to give momentum to its push to overturn the commercial whaling moratorium and allow it to expand its research whaling program, begun in 1987.

Tokyo had proposed to take 150 minkes, 50 more than last season. Twenty members voted in favor, 21 against and three abstained. A three-quarters majority of the 45 voting members would have been needed to approve the plan.

"It was better than last year, but not as good as we expected," Masayuki Komatsu, a senior Japanese fisheries official, told reporters. "I am disappointed.

Japan, like fellow whaler Norway, believes that minkes are no longer endangered and can be hunted commercially within limits.

It wants to increase sharply the number of whales killed in the northern Pacific and add to its scientific hunting the 50-foot sei whale, which activists say is endangered.

Japan wants to take 50 sei whales, 50 Bryde's whales and 10 sperm whales besides the 400 minkes it hunts around Antarctica each year.