杏吧原创

HERE we go again with the annual set-to over whether member countries of the International Whaling Commission should resume commercial whaling after a moratorium of nearly 20 years. As New 杏吧原创 has said before, there may well be sound moral and ethical reasons to oppose whaling, but anti-whaling groups are running out of scientific excuses for an across-the-board ban. Minke whales, in particular, seem to be far enough from the brink to allow at least a limited take.

But if members vote to allow whaling, they must ensure that it is done by the book. They should follow through on the plan to set conservative catch limits that take account of the uncertainties over how many whales there are, and their breeding habits. This approach, which underpins the IWC鈥檚 Revised Management Procedure, may mean that commercial whalers will have to settle for fewer whales than they take today under the guise of 鈥渟cientific鈥� whaling (see 鈥淧ressure is on to lift whaling ban鈥�).

We will also need to monitor whalers to be sure abuses do not occur and, especially, that no one passes off rarer species as legal minke. That means putting observers on whaling vessels and using satellites to track their movements. It also means extensive genetic testing of all whale species, not just minkes. This will not only allow legally taken animals to be tracked but also help conservationists trace illicit meat back to its source population.

This extra effort will undoubtedly annoy whaling nations. But it is necessary. If we get it wrong this time, there will be no second chance for the whales.