Can it really be that over 20 years after the global ban on commercial whaling went into effect the Japanese fleet has once again set sail to the Southern ocean in pursuit of almost 1000 minke and fin whales? It’s been well over a decade since these now whaling grounds were designated a whale sanctuary, but the only sanctity that will be found in the whaling grounds this year will be a splash of hope that the end to the needless, lethal, sham research may be in sight and our ailing gentle giants of the blue may finally find peace south of 60 degrees latitude.

With the change of government in Japan brought hope for a sea change when it comes to wasteful spending of tax-payers’ money such as that spent in subsidies to the ‘research’ whaling program. The new PM ordered a review of all spending and the Spending Review Committee recommended that the Overseas Fisheries Cooperation Fund (OFCF), which gives loans to the Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) to run the discredited science programme, have all of its funding revoked, except monies needed for loans in 2010. The OFCF has stated it needs 70.4 billion yen (around US$780 million) for various programmes, including whaling, in 2010. The Review Committee and Cabinet Office will determine by early next year if the proposed operations for 2010 are actually “necessary” or should also be cut.

This year’s Southern ocean hunt will be subsidised by 795 million yen ($8.8 million US dollars) of taxpayer money. The programme already operates at a loss due to lack of demand for whale meat and programme costs are set to increase.

So, what does this mean? It means that hopefully funds to the OFCF and that without these funds the ICR programme and lethal whaling will be ceased.

But, for now, another voyage.  As our activists  in Japan face yet another pre-trial hearing today  for stealing a box of whale meat to expose embezzlement within the industry, we all stand strong knowing that if this is in fact the last voyage, whatever the outcome of the trial, a piece of justice has been served.

Final voyage for Japan’s whaling fleet? Fingers crossed!

Categories: Greenpeace, Oceans

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