When a Scientist speaks about Conservation
Policy, Government should listen

Professor Doug Butterworth, of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, wrote a letter to the editor of The Cape Times in which he expresses his professional opinions on the conservation impacts of public environmental policies in South Africa and elsewhere.

First, Butterworth noted that national policies on environmental issues are significantly influenced by green NGOs, and that their influence is from a scientific perspective, completely unjustified. The anti-whaling, anti-wildlife-use NGOs involved in public policies have commonly misinformed the public in each country involved in international conservation issues. Incorrect public opinion has caused national officials to be swayed, and so public policy has become a reflection of public demand, rather than a model for action based on scientific judgments.

Butterworth, who is internationally renowned for his work on the statistics of whale population dynamics, played a crucial role in development of the Revised Management Procedure for cetaceans that was carried out by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission. He is understandably upset that, for political reasons, the IWC has subsequently not implemented the RMP.

Professor Butterworth points out that there is no reason to fear that whaling nations shall cause the extinction of animals hunted for food. The targeted species are extremely abundant and will be harvested according to a strict and very safe formula. Further, he notes that the whale watch industry shall not be affected in any way by the fact of regulated commercial whaling for food. The two activities can be seen to exist in the same area without impacting each other. This is demonstrated in the north Atlantic, where Iceland and Norway both whale and have whale watch businesses.

In addition, he notes that all the unjustified attention focused on preventing the commercial harvest of abundant whales is likely to have a negative impact on recovery of other species. "While a paradigm that argues to reduce utilization to avoid extinction is universally acceptable, one that seeks to impose the cultural norms of some on others is a non-starter as a basis for international agreement." This scientist recognizes, as do others, that societies are imposing their own cultural preferences on others for reasons unrelated to scientific concern: "And politicians in countries without whaling interests can score easy greenie points by criticizing others at no cost to themselves. Opposition to whaling today is no longer based on concerns about possible extinction, but rather on a view held by some that certain animals, including whales, should be exempt from consumption by humans."

Well said, Professor! IWMC congratulates you for pointing out to your own country's environment minister that South Africa's future policies on the environment must be based in science and with respect for the cultural rights of others. Cultural imperialism is not a constructive goal for governments as they try to co-exist in a global society. South Africa should consider setting a good example for others, in order that it shall not itself be prevented from rational management of its own resources for non-scientific reasons.