London, 26 July 2001: The 53^rd International Whaling Commission (IWC) annual meeting in London this year is a sham. The Commission is dominated by issues out of its competence and promoted by New Zealand and others such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

"The IWC was formed for the conservation of whale stocks and the management and development of the whaling industry. From their current position, the IWC Commissioners have not fulfilled their role at all! It would be safe to say that they have taken a ‘PROTECTIONIST APPROACH’ to whaling. The term conservation must not be misinterpreted for protectionism" said Eugene Lapointe, President of IWMC World Conservation Trust.

"Why waste time with issues that are outside of the competence of the IWC, for instance, small cetaceans, whale watching and the international trade?

"Why not address the real issues: the completion of the Revised Management Scheme (RMS) and the implementation of the Revised Management Procedure (RMP)?" asked Lapointe.

The completion of the Revised Management Scheme (RMS) is an important agenda that once again remains unsolved. The RMS and RMP have become a battlefield in a confrontation of cultures and values. Although ostensibly about whales, and science, the IWC forum has become a carnival game with very high stakes. It is not about science. The science is in place to justify harvest of several whale species. It is not about sustainable use either, because most parties realize the taking of one or two whales from populations of thousands, and in cases, millions, is no threat to whale populations.