ANTI-INTERNATIONAL WHALING CAMPAIGN

That this House condemns those countries who voted in favour of the resumption of whaling at the International Whaling Commission meeting at St Kitts and Nevis; strongly opposes their view that the current moratorium is invalid and that whales are responsible for depleting the fish stocks of poor countries and their condemnation of the efforts of environmental pressure groups in highlighting the bad practices of those countries that flouted the moratorium; acknowledges that in the Caribbean, which mostly voted in favour of the resolution, a recent WWF poll shows that up to 79 per cent. of respondents are against whaling; notes that the whale-watching eco-tourism industry is worth an approximate $1 billion a year; further notes that the whale population is down to a fifth of its former strength with many species still on the endangered list; urges the countries who most vehemently pushed for the resolution including Japan, Norway and Iceland to listen to the international clamour against whaling; further notes that those countries wishing to reintroduce whaling failed to get the required 75 per cent. majority; and calls on these countries to desist from any whaling activities.