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Illegal Commercial Whaling

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Commercial Whaling Countless amounts of great whales will be illegally caught and slaughtered for commercial sale and “scientific” research this year. In spite of a worldwide moratorium, put in place by the International Whaling Commission twenty four years ago banning the act of commercial whaling, three defiant countries continue to hunt whales illegally. If these countries hunt whales against the law and continue to get away with minimal consequence it may encourage other countries to resume their whaling operations. If stricter laws are not out in place the whale populations will be hunted to extinction and the greatest conservation accomplishment of the twentieth century will go down the drain. Animal rights have evolved …show more content…

Japan, Iceland and Norway continue whaling in spite of the ban and get away with no consequences. A compromise Package has been purposed by the Unites States allowing three countries Japan, Iceland and Norway to resume commercial whaling under the “Revised Management Scheme”. Instead of fighting to put more laws into place to control the illegal whaling they are letting the disobedient countries get what they wanted in the first place. These three countries are the only countries that are ignoring the twenty four year old moratorium. If there are not severe consequences then the illegal whaling will continue and our whale population will disappear before our eyes. In many eyes the International Whaling Commission’s decision to lift the restriction on commercial whaling was extremely controversial. Some believed that lifting the ban would bring more peace between the nations; others believed that it would hinder the whale populations rather than help the situation. According to journalist Stephen Clark, the Obama Administration stood behind the IWC’s decision to lift the twenty four year ban on commercial whaling because “it will save whales in the next decade by stopping the illegal whaling”. President Obama was questioned for his side in the controversy. He received phone calls, emails, faxes, and letters opposing the decision, trying to persuade him to change his position. Some estimate

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