In a statement to The Herald, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the Government was concerned by Japan's restarting of its commercial whaling programme. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In a statement to The Herald, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the Government was concerned by Japan's restarting of its commercial whaling programme. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says Japan's decision to return to commercial whaling after a 30-year hiatus is concerning.
Although welcoming his concern, Green MP Gareth Hughes wants Peters to personally raise the issue to the Japanese Government.
On Monday, Japan resumed commercial whaling after the practice was banned in 1986. Whaling vessels have permission to catch up to 227 whales in Japanese waters this year.
As Japan has withdrawn from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), it is no longer subject to rules banning the controversial practice.
In a statement to he Herald, Peters said the Government was concerned by these developments.
"New Zealand remains firm in its support for the global moratorium on commercial whaling and will continue to work with other like-minded countries to support the conservation of whales."
He added that commercial whaling is an outdated and unnecessary practice.
"We continue to hope Japan will cease all whaling, as they did with their Southern Ocean programme, in order to advance the protection of the world's ocean's ecosystems."
Speaking to The Herald today, Green Party MP Gareth Hughes welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister's expression of concern. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hughes yesterday called on Peters to issue a "strong statement condemning the inhumane slaughter of whales for commercial profit".
Speaking to the Herald today, Hughes welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister's expression of concern.
But he wanted Peters to go one step further.
"I hope the minister will be able to raise our opposition to commercial whaling in future meetings with the Japanese Government to express New Zealand's strong commitment to whale conservation."
In the days since Japan began whaling, two whales have been caught.
In December, when Japan announced its decision to leave the International Whaling Commission, Peters said he hoped Japan would reconsider its position.
Yesterday, Hughes said the Greens were deeply concerned by the move.
"This is a sad day for whales and a real blow to international efforts to protect these magnificent creatures."
He said commercial hunting pushed whales to the brink of extinction in the 1980s, and today they still face threats from climate change, marine pollution and fishing by-catch.
"Japan is flouting international rules to continue to hunt whales for meat even though demand within Japan has plummeted."
