[quote][b]SOUTH Korea said yesterday it may scrap its fiercely criticised plan to resume "scientific" whaling if experts come up with non-lethal means to study the mammals in its waters.[/b]
"We may not conduct whaling for scientific research if there is another way to achieve the goal," said Kang Joon-suk, an official of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
South Korea unveiled its plan at an International Whaling Commission meeting last week, saying it would use the loophole in a global moratorium that permits killing of whales for "scientific" research.
Seoul cited what it called a significant increase in whale stocks in its waters and consequent damage to fisheries. [b]If it goes ahead, it would be the fourth country to kill whales, joining Norway, Iceland and Japan.[/b]
Yonhap news agency said Seoul could be backtracking in the face of criticism at home and abroad. Greenpeace described scientific whaling as ``just thinly disguised commercial whaling''.
Norway and Iceland openly defy the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling, saying they believe stocks are healthy.
Japan already uses the loophole for scientific research, with the meat then going on dinner plates.
Mr Kang said yesterday South Korea would fully consult international and domestic experts before and after presenting a detailed whaling programme to the IWC's scientific committee, set to meet in South Korea in May next year.
``We will respect the committee's recommendations in making our decision,'' he said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Australia remained completely opposed to whaling, whether for commercial or scientific reasons.
[b]"There's no excuse for scientific whaling,''[/b] she told reporters in Melbourne last week.
New Zealand and the United States also spoke out strongly against Seoul's plan.
[b]The ministry said South Korea would not consume meat from whales caught for scientific research if it goes ahead.[/b]
Whale meat is popular in the coastal town of Ulsan, which currently serves the remains of whales ``accidentally'' caught in nets.
[b]Some 100 whales, most of them minke, are netted ``accidentally'' every year in South Korean waters.[/b]
Critics say the high rate of bycatch raises suspicions that some whales may be killed intentionally.[/quote]
[url]http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/seoul-bends-to-whaling-outcry/story-e6frg6so-1226423958177[/url]
In other news, whales seen breathing a sigh of relief off the coast of Korea.
Now we need to deal with Japan and all will be well in most of the Pacific.
They claim it's for science, yet they're not actually doing it for science (or very little of it). AKA why Whale Wars exists.
Whale Wars
[quote]The ministry said South Korea would not consume meat from whales caught for scientific research if it goes ahead.[/quote]
Not sure I believe this..
Does this mean I can't use my torpedoes?
...Damn. Does the black market takes returns? I have my receipt..
Agreed, sort Japan out as the priority for this industry.
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