Japan, congrats on whale fail

New Zealand can help make this Japanese whaling season the last ever, the Green Party said today.

“I welcome the news that Japanese whalers cut their season short, despite having only caught between 30-100 minkes, far short of their quota of up to 935,” said Green Party Oceans spokesperson, Gareth Hughes.

“Pressure from Sea Shepherd activists disrupting their ability to whale, an International Court of Justice legal case, and decreased Japanese demand for whale meant, has all helped to make 2010 one of the worst years for the Japanese whaling industry since the moratorium on commercial whaling.

“The Green Party is calling on the Government to put direct diplomatic pressure on Japan to increase the likelihood that this dismal whale season for Japan is their last ever.”

Mr Hughes congratulated activists on the Sea Shepherd protest boat who were successful in disrupting the hunt, but was disappointed that the New Zealand Government failed to have a presence in the Southern Ocean by sending an offshore patrol vessel.

The New Zealand Government’s main contribution to the anti-whaling campaign this season was to fight Japan’s unsuccessful return to commercial whaling through the International Whaling Commission meeting.

“Every whale slaughtered is a tragedy and I’m glad there will be less whale meat on sale in the Japanese market, further strengthening the economic pressures on the Japanese Fisheries Agency, which relies on Government subsidies,” said Mr Hughes.

"We stood up to the USA when it came to nukes; we can stand up to Japan when it comes to killing whales.”