It Tastes Like Research

The great whalers of the world, coming up against the global moratorium on commercial operations, are showing a new and remarkable interest in research. Japan, for example, which already had won a generous extension of the moratorium on commercial whaling until next year, has now served notice that it will pursue 825 minke and 50 sperm whales next year for research. Oh, yes: If there is anything left after the researchers get through with it, the meat will be sold on the commercial market. Iceland is already deep into whale research, and just happens to have enough surplus to export a substantial amount to Japan.

All this would be funny if it were not such an outrageous challenge to the efforts of conservationists. But, to make matters worse, it is entirely legal. There is a loophole in the International Whaling Convention that allows all governments to permit the harvesting of whales for research purposes and to set the research limits themselves.

The United States, which has led the battle to end whaling, is preparing to try to close the loophole. So it should. A resolution will be offered when the International Whaling Commission convenes at Bournemouth, England, on June 22 seeking to make the position of the commission more precise and to correct a year-old resolution that seems to invite a perpetuation of whaling in the guise of research.

What really needs doing is action to enhance the authority and guidelines for the commission’s scientific committee so that it can decide what is authentic, justifiable research. That clarification cannot come too soon. While the Soviet Union has now suspended whaling, four other nations have indicated plans for “research” operations in the years ahead.

The moratorium is to be reviewed commencing in 1990 to determine whether it should be made permanent. Tighter regulation of research operations in the meantime is essential if that review is to be meaningful.