NORWAY BREAKS BAN ON WHALE TRADE

SEA SHEPHERD INTERNATIONAL

January 16, 2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NORWAY BREAKS BAN ON WHALE TRADE Escalation of 'whale wars' grounds for immediate trade sanctions

In the most serious breach of the international protections established for whales since Norway returned to commercial whale hunting in 1992 in defiance of the global ban, that nation today lifted its ban on the export of whale products. The majority of the stored whale blubber in Norway would go to Japan, reaping a windfall profit for Norway's whalers. Jubilant whalers have said that lifting the export ban is 'like winning the lottery.'

It is also likely to be the most immediate international environmental challenge to the incoming U.S. administration. Norway has exempted itself from the ban on international trade on whale products, as it previously claimed exemption to the ban on commercial hunting.

'Norway is betting that the new administration will be as reluctant as the last one to administer trade sanctions, but Republicans actually have a better track record than Democrats in this area; they have supported our anti-whaling activities,' said Paul Watson, president of Sea Shepherd International. 'No one can doubt that Norway's whalers were emboldened by the Clinton administration's failure to impose sanctions on Japan for the aggressive extension of their so-called 'research' whale hunt last year,' Watson said. 'We are hopeful that President Bush will uphold his obligation to enforce the Pelly Amendment and impose sanctions against nations that undermine the protections provided for whales under international law.'

'In response to Norway's action, there should be no more negotiations, meetings, warnings, or pleadings - the last eight years have conclusively demonstrated one thing: Such tactics do nothing but make the situation worse. Norway is saying 'I dare you' to the Bush administration, and with any luck they have finally supplied the rope with which to hang themselves.'

Watson, who received a presidential Daily Point of Light citation in 1999 in recognition of his efforts to oppose illegal whaling, will be making a personal appeal to President Bush.

'We remind Mr. Bush that just before his father left office he certified Norway as undermining the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling when they returned to commercial hunting in defiance of the ban. There should be no question in the mind of the President-elect that the people of the United States want him to complete his father's work, and embargo all Norwegian seafood products from entry into the United States until Norway's whaling activities cease. Sanctions now, Mr. President.'

YES, about time, but where can I by this wonderful food. I'm hungry.

Now we will use the earths resources more wisely.

I know you won't be able to see my reply, since you're still cowering behind your killfilter, but anyway..

This alone means we don't need to take this post seriously.

A ban that was self-imposed, so it's no big deal.

Yadda yadda yadda.

The ban was self-imposed. What's this 'international ban' crap? Or is this just more of Watson's ranting over 'illegal whaling'?

Not only that, it means that no part of the whale will go to waste. It also means that the blubber will be eaten instead of some other animal.

A self-imposed ban...

That's because it's the only area in which they can be 'environmentally correct' at no cost to themselves. Not that I expect Sea Shepherd (or Rich for that matter) to see the hypocrisy involved here.

Dubya Bush is probably going to be the weakest US pres in history. He's too dumb to be anything but a puppet for his daddy. And since Daddy Bush didn't impose any sanctions, there's no reason to expect dubya to do so either.

I agree. Please, no more. It's boring.

We also said 'I dare you' to the previous Bush and Reagan before him again. WHat makes you think 'dubya' is going to do what the past three presidents haven't done?

Could you please post it in mpg format somewhere? We'd like to see.

And Norway has certified Greenpeace and other so-called 'environmentalists' for underming the IWC. Yadda yadda yadda.

Oh yeah. Forget about the budget deficit, the foreign debt, the ubiquity of firearms, schoolyard shootings, inner city poverty, education, industrial-scale pollution, and all those other irrelevant things. Let's focus on something important like stopping the hunt of an animal that isn't even threatened/endangered. Why? 'cuz Watson and a bunch of other loonies happen to worship that animal, that's why.