At the International Whaling Conference IWC presents Denmark as one of the most problematic countries. “The delegates of Denmark put everything they can to obstruct transparency and non-governmental organizations to exclude from the negotiations,” says Sigrid Lüber who participates OceanCare for the conference.For now Denmark has organized a meeting with selected countries to prepare the extension of Buckelwaljagd. This, although the northern European country has committed itself as a member of the EU to protect whales and dolphins.
At the whaling conference Denmark represents only the interests of the semi-autonomous regions of Greenland and the Faroe Islands and to flout the will of a majority of the Danish population. 97 percent of the 5.5 million Danes are opposed to whaling. The positions of the Danish delegation to the IWC reflects in any way. This behavior also makes for red heads in the Danish parliament, where the government is criticized because of the blockade of whale protection. “It is hoped that Denmark does the chance of new elections in the fall and back to the walfreundlichen course of the EU does,” says Lüber.
Conservation as request concert
Because the meat of whales tastes better than that of fin whales, Denmark in 2010 replaced a heavily criticized the negotiation process some of its fin whale quota to a humpback whale. At the current conference, the Danish delegation is now organizing a meeting with selected countries to promote the expansion of the catch of humpback whales. Countries and environmental groups who are critical of this project were not invited. This Lüber Sigrid: “The aim of the Danes is to get awarded for the upcoming 2012 re-allocation of fishing quotas in terms of livelihood twenty instead of nine humpback whales. But they are already looking for support now. “
EU and environmental groups held back
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