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WILLIAMS SEEKS STRONG UK POSITION ON COMMERCIAL WHALING
March 25, 2010 3:39 PM
Roger Williams, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire and Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson, used today's final DEFRA Oral Question session of the current parliament to press the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to take a strong line at the forthcoming International Whaling Commission (IWC) discussion in order to prevent a resumption of commercial whaling.
At the IWC meeting in June there is a strong possibility that a change in the current rules will allow Japan, Norway and Iceland to start whaling on a fully commercial level and would allow commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, set up by the IWC in 1994.
Advice from Council Legal Services (CLS) states that, in the absence of consensus among EU IWC members on such issues affecting the conservation of whales at the IWC, the UK and all EU members of the IWC must abstain on any substantive vote at the forthcoming meeting of the IWC, including this proposal.
Roger Williams said:
"This news is very concerning for the future of this magnificent yet, sadly, threatened species.
"I asked the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) about this matter last month and they assured me that the UK would take a strong position on this matter and would not agree to any resumption in Whaling.
"I welcome the strong position taken by the UK Government but under EU rules, a common position of three quarters of voting members must be reached in order for the EU to oppose this proposed change.
"With abstentions possible from a number of member states it may be that the EU block of 25 is forced to abstain, which would provide the upper hand to the pro-whaling nations within the IWC and deal a massive blow to those who support whale conservation and oppose commercial whaling.
"In light of the rules on EU voting and the stories that appeared in the media earlier this week I was keen to receive further guarantees that the UK would take a strong stand against any moves to resume commercial whaling.
"The Minister said in the strongest possible terms that the UK Government will continue to oppose these I warmly welcome that.
"The act of whaling is abhorrent to most people and the fact that these great mammal species could be fished to extinction by EU inaction will, I am sure, be of grave concern to all British citizens.
"I hope that the UK Government continues to take a lead on this, both within the EU and the IWC, and to ensure that sufficient support is achieved in order to oppose these shocking proposals."
NOTES:
The full report, by the Independent's Environment Editor, Michael McCarthy, can be found here: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/whaling-the-great-betrayal-1925387.html
Mr Williams' DEFRA oral question from February 2010 on this issue can be found here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-02-04a.433.3&s=speaker%3A11324#g433.5
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