I O MA IO E O
A IMA WE A E I S I U E
.O. x 6 0 W h n t n, .C. 2000 l A . S pt. l. 2 , .
"No" says Canada to a whaling moratorium n C n d d th ? 80 h b n b d r f r th h l . ll n th pr r was 14 Yes, 6 No. Had Canada voted d n , th r t n f th Int rn t n l Wh l n the other way, the figures would have C n —h ld n r ht n, En l nd, l 2 26—pr v d read 15 Yes, 5 No—so achieving the b ll r nd d pp nt nt. t th dd t v nt f th 3/4 majority which the IWC requires to t n , nd th n h h t n r d n rv t n t , make quota changes. Thus Canada's No spelled Yes to the question wheth- th l b n l v t f th pr p l f r r t r n th er sperm whales in large numbers ll n f p r h l . h v ll n f th p n n (1,320 in the coming season) should h l n n t n: C n d . continue to be killed for their sperm oil, a substance for which wholly adequate Over the years Canada's voting rec- Canada voted Yes and supported the substitutes now exist. ord on moratorium issues has been proposal with passion and eloquence. Why did Canada act this way? Can- peculiar —to put it kindly. Since 1973 Last year, 1979, a similar proposal was ada's government-appointed advisory there have been several moratorium put to the IWC. Canada abstained. body, the C tt n Wh l nd votes at the IWC. And since then a This year Canada voted No to that Wh l n , had recommended that number of countries have moved from proposal and No again to the call for a Canada should support ll morato- the No camp to the Yes. Canada alone ban on the killing of sperm whales, the riums scheduled for debate at the IWC has moved in the opposite direction. most hard-pressed of all the whales still meeting. The Canadian cabinet vetoed In 1973 a total moratorium on ll commercially hunted. this. It instructed the Canadian Com- commercial whaling was proposed. The vote on the sperm whale ban missioner, Mr. Malcolm Mercer, to vote in accord with the IWC Scientific Committee's recommendations— except where they were equivocal. In those instances, the cabinet said, he should support those scientists press- ing for a more conservationist position. The Scientific Committee's Report states that some scientists favored a sperm whale moratorium on the grounds of inadequate data and a poor "biological model." Other scien- tists were against, arguing that uncer- tainty varied and that a blanket mora- torium was therefore unjustified. However, despite this divergence of opinion, the Scientific Committee rec- ommended zero quotas in two out of three areas in which sperm whales are 1-runted. For the third area, the North Atlantic fished by Icelandic and Span- ish whalers, the uncertainties were so great that the Committee simply urged that the average catch of recent years n tr t r t d th l t n f th IWC dr t z th r l f th n n n t n should not be exceeded. —S th Afr , r , USS , p n, K r , C n d , Sp n, Ch l , nd I l nd— h v t d n t rld d r l h l n r t r . ph t b hn . nt. C nt n d n p r t e W a i g Commissio — ow i wo ks h Int rn t n l Wh l n because IWC quotas have to be n b h d C n, b rn n 48, t agreed by a 3/4 majority, the whaling v r r t r n h l n nations—though in a minority—can U.S. n fr t r rt t f r th f ll n 2 prove and do prove hard bargainers. l d r h p nth : h n t ll, h t In short, the New Management Pro- p nd h r . O t n bl th cedure has brought few changes. Poli- Most endangered of all whales on IWC x t t " n rv " h l tics still dominate. True, the overall which IWC sets a quota is the bow- p p l t n th t h l r quota drops year by year. But while head, a species decimated by com- pr p r. In th t h f l d d this downward trend is partly due to mercial whalers in the 19th Century ll . h h l n nd tr conservationist pressure, it is chiefly and still killed by Alaskan Eskimos us- n n t d th thr . ing a curious weaponry manufactured IWC I E U in Pennsylvania which exactly repli- Far from conserving whales (if only cates that used by the Yankee whalers for the sake of the whaling nations), 0 Wh l n t n who undermined the species' sur- the IWC has presided over the de- r z l S th K r vivability. Ch l r struction of the great whales to the n r r Nemesis of U.S. leadership in the point of "commercial extinction." As Commission is the conflict between I l nd Sp n their populations have collapsed, so p n USS the Scientific Committee's repeated the industry—through the IWC—has recommendation of a zero quota on striven to stay afloat by switching at- 4 n Wh l n t n bowheads and the demands of the Ar nt n O n tention to the lesser whales. Minke Eskimos, backed up by court chal- A tr l S h ll whales were only marginally exploited lenges for the right to take numbers C n d S th Afr until recently. Now they are the prime r n S d n greatly exceeding those killed in the target of the whalers' harpoons. M x S tz rl nd 1940's, 50's and 60's. A more rational corrective to the Conservationist concern, directed at th rl nd UK gross overhunting of the past lies in the l nd USA U.S. Commissioner Richard Frank, IWC's so-called New Management was expressed succinctly in the foot- Procedure which lays down certain due to the continued failure of the high words "No Bowhead Trade-Off' rules to make the recommendations of IWC to "conserve" whale populations. which demonstrators outside the IWC its scientists more "scientific." This is a Continued whaling will lead only to meeting attached to "Flo," a 40-foot great step forward—in theory. the death of whales and whalers. But balloon in the shape of the whale that In practice, however, the political while the whaling industry is past sav- has haunted IWC meetings for the make-up of the Scientific Committee ing, the whales are not. Not yet, not past four years. The phrase refers to plus the shortage of hard data too quite. A moratorium could just save the fact that Japan and Russia always often make for confused and flabby the whales. Nothing less will do. We support the United States in getting a recommendations. Presented with must all start working now to make quota on bowheads for Alaskan Eski- ambiguous advice, Commissioners next year "The Year We Saved the mos, while U.S. leadership in the can interpret it as they will. And Whale." Commission has slackened since 1977 when the bowhead issue first came to a head. In that year the Commission voted a zero quota, and lawyers for the newly formed Alaskan Eskimo Whaling this year for a quota of 10 humpback Commission fought to force the whales for Greenland fishermen. United States to file an objection to the Without the U.S. vote, this quota IWC decision. The issue was carried all would not have been approved by the the way to the Supreme Court. Al- Commission. though they lost the legal battle, Canada does not permit Canadian counsel for the Eskimos has heavily in- native peoples to kill bowhead whales. fluenced the actions of the U.S. Com- However, she unilaterally set a quota missioner. The Commission narrowly of 40 beluga whales in the Cumber- escaped adjourning with no quota on land Sound area, despite the fact that bowheads this year—the most dan- IWC's Scientific Committee recom- gerous possible result for these endan- mended a zero quota for these whales. gered whales. Finally, a three-year Canada's rationale on this matter is quota, which represents a small reduc- bizarre. In a vehement speech, Cana- tion from the current quota, was voted: dian Commissioner Mercer asserted 45 bowheads landed or 65 struck and that beluga whales and narwhals are lost. not whales and, therefore, must not be v l f th b h d under IWC control. Despite a scholarly presentation by Sweden's Alternate fr th n rv t n t b ttl S r t r f C r h l p M. Kl tz f r th n xt thr r h ld Commissioner, Mrs. K. Mannheimer, n d nd Chr t n St v n d th p bl r rt n f the Commission did not include belu- l t n f th IWC. th r th t U.S. l d r h p f r th h l . gas and narwhals in the IWC schedule. tr n U.S. l d r h p r t l t th It should also make possible a The struck-and-lost rate for these small n rv t n f th rld h l . change in the embarrassing U.S. vote whales in the aboriginal fishery is high. ph t b n ld . ll
2 n n pr t t n fr C n r
Since late in the nineteenth century, the bulk of wildlife conservation in America has consisted of the propaga- tion of the 13 so-called "game" spe- cies, primarily deer and ducks. To pro- vide prime habitats for these few species, millions of acres of forest have been bull-dozed, burned or flooded, destroying the habitats of all other animals, e.g., chipmunks, frogs, turtles, snakes, and field mice, with fledgling birds and newborn mammals especial- ly vulnerable. The effect of these manipulations on such species is vir- tually unknown. But wildlife conservation is about to take a step forward in this country. Congress has passed a sort of Equal Opportunity Act for nongame wildlife, ll f r p n h r "The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980." While the funding d rd h p authorization is small compared with expenditures for game species, past Unt l r ntl , th b rb r t f ll d pr d t r " ntr l"— "game favoritism" will nevertheless be b rn n , h t n , tr pp n nd p n n f t nd th r slightly diluted. An excerpt from the rn v r f r th t n bl p rp f pr t t n l v t — Senate Committee on Environment n pl bl b r r t ll. t ft r r th n h lf and Public Work's report on the bill nt r f h n nd n t n th ll h b n t r bl . follows: S. 2181, "The Fish and Wildlife Conser- In November of last year, Interior drove 25,000 miles throughout vation Act of 1980," is intended to fill a Department Secretary Cecil N. Andrus Europe and Asia, where livestock- gap in this country's existing fish and issued a directive to the U.S. Fish and guarding dogs have been used for cen- wildlife management programs. Current Wildlife Service calling for a more turies, to find the best possible State and Federal programs are almost environmentally-sound approach to breeding stock for their project. In exclusively focused on game species. livestock protection. One of the most Switzerland, they saw the Polish For the first time, S. 2181 will establish a critical new initiatives was the "devel- Ovcharka; in Hungary, they saw comprehensive wildlife conservation opment and testing of non-lethal/non- Komondors, Kuvasz, and Pulis; in program giving adequate attention to capture control methods," paramount France, the Pyrenean Mountain dog. nongame as well as game species of among which is the use of livestock- In 1976, Hampshire imported ten wildlife. guarding dogs. pups from Old World working stock to The U.S. Department of Agriculture be the foundation of a comprehensive The reported bill is designed to be inte- is currently' supporting research on study. The goal was to lease out 100 grated with existing "game" wildlife sheep-guarding dogs at Colorado potential guard dogs to farmers for a laws, specifically the Dingell-Johnson State University, the U.S. Sheep Ex- nominal fee. By the summer of 1979, (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration periment Station in Dubois, Idaho and nearly 170 young dogs had been Act) and Pittman-Robinson Act (Federal at Hampshire College's New England leased, all offspring of the original 10. Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act). The Farm Center, whose study is the sub- Five breeds, including the Anatolian management programs established ject of an article in the April 1980 issue Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Maremma, under S. 2181 may reduce the possibil- of Country Journal. Russian Ovcharka, and Shar Planinetz ity that species of wildlife will become are under direct observation by Farm endangered and in this sense may help "To keep the wolves away from his Center students and staff, while the avoid the use of the more stringent sheep," the piece begins, "Mike Smil- progress of Komondors, Kuvasz and measures contemplated in the Endan- janic used to burn rubber tires all night Pulis is monitored indirectly through tgered Species Act. The bill provides for in the pasture of his Ontario farm. His reports from the farmers themselves. comprehensive conservation plans, and father in Yugoslavia laughed at Mike's So far the results are very encourag- specific nongame management projects defensive tactic and sent him a pair of ing, according to the Coppingers. By undertaken pursuant to these plans, Yugoslavian sheep-guarding dogs. scaring predators away from flocks of kvhich can be reimbursed by the Federal The wolves went elsewhere." 10-1,000 sheep, the great shaggy government. Both plans and imple- The authors, Ray and Lorna Cop- dogs are keeping a number of farmers menting actions are essential in the pinger, who are also the chief in- in business in 17 states from Massa- creation of effective wildlife manage- vestigators in the Hampshire study, chusetts to California. ment programs.
3 -3 Ernest Graf, President of Ben Kahn Sp r fl t f r Furs, who has publicly stated his op- AWA S position to the continued use of the b r r nf r n steel jaw leghold trap. Mr. Kugler firm- Ind n r v ly stated that Mr. Graf does not repre- El tr d b t p r d b S h tz r M d l sent the fur industry and it will never n AWI nt f p p r ll d agree with his position. In r n t n f h p n r n " pl nt f th St l h ld r p f r n Following these exchanges, over r n d v l p n n t n l n " t th f r t W rld d r 150 copies of Facts About Furs were n rv t n p l f r Ind , Shr b r r C nf r n h ld A t distributed upon request to the con- . M. t l h r v d th An l W lf r In t t t Alb rt n r tb r , M r l nd. ferees. Most of the 200-300 in attend- ance were wildlife biologists from 28 S h tz r M d l. The paper, written by AWI Vice- nations, many of which had banned president Dr. John F. Beary III, was de- the steel jaw leghold trap. Mr. Patel has served as India's fi- livered by AWI President Christine On the first day of the conference nance minister and is presently chair- Stevens to an audience of trappers, Harry V. Thompson from the British man of the Indian Board for Wildlife. furriers, and wildlife scientists. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and The award was presented August 4, It reviewed the Canadian study of a Food, said, "The gin trap (steel jaw 1980 by the Honorable Archer K. new foot snare developed by the Min- leghold trap) is not used, we hope, at Blood at the U.S. Embassy in New istry of Natural Resources in Ontario, all for animal trapping in Britain." He Delhi, India before a number of Indian and the Swedish leg snare. The paper then went on to state that the coypu, a dignitaries. Upon accepting the Medal, also exposed the lack of scientific rigor forbearer managed in Britain, is easy Mr. Patel had these gracious and in- in a New York study which alleges that to catch in cages. sightful words: the Ezyonem, a leg snare developed Dr. Sam B. Linhart of the U.S. Fish "During the time that I was Finance Min- by Elmer Davies of the New York and Wildlife Service introduced the ister and later Home Minister of the Gov- State Department of Environmental Service's poor record for finding alter- ernment of India, and acting concurrently Conservation, is inferior to steel traps. natives to trapping and poisoning for in the capacity of Chairman of the Indian In the ensuing discussion, Don predator control by saying "Mother Board for Wildlife, I considered it one of my foremost responsibilities to help con- Hoyt, President of the National Trap- nature is a bitch." From Dr. Linhart's ceive and give shape and content to what I pers Association, said that Canadian report it appears that everything that hoped might represent a National Conser- trappers use a steel trap that is too can go wrong does go wrong with vation and Environment Protection Policy large for fox and raccoon, resulting in USFWS studies on this subject. injuries to most (52%) of the animals Chemical attractants and repellents caught. The Pennsylvania Trapper for coyotes have been researched ex- Education Manual, however, which tensively by Dr. R. Teranishi and his was being distributed at the confer- team at the USDA Western Regional ence, recommends both the larger Research Center in Berkeley Califor- (#2) and smaller (#1 1/2) traps for nia. To date there have been two catching fox and raccoon. breakthroughs. One: the team has iso- Kenneth R. Dixon, of the Appalach- lated a simple chemical compound ian Environmental Laboratory at that is very effective in attracting Frostburg State College, briefly coyotes to a scent station. Two: prelim- described the conclusions of a paper inary work with sugar solutions has published in the Journal of Wildlife caused coyotes standing at the scent Management 42(4): 1978, which station to chew on a sweetened bait up found that 74% of the nutria caught in to four times longer than when other steel traps died after release, as com- solutions are used. This suggests a pared to 53% mortality in the cage- fruitful area for future chemosterilant trapped nutria. Major Boddicker criti- research. Carolyn King, a biologist cized all leg snares for holding deer, from New Zealand, said she wanted to which would cut across a o i ica eco- antelope, and even elk. However Ca- study the use of chemosterilants as a omic and sectoral barriers, and provide nadian tests have found that deer more efficient predator control meth- the country with a framework in which to caught in the foot snare are able to od than trapping. shape its entire broad range of plans for break loose. The Canadian snare has The Tuesday morning session fea- the national development of this country. I also been constructed to fall off when it tured the Canadian foot snare, devel- was able to assemble what I considered to be the finest scientific talent in the country, is torn free of the trapping apparatus. oped by the Ministry of Natural supported by some of the most senior and Mrs. Stevens responded to Mr. Bod- Resources biologist, Milan Novak, and knowledgeable government administrators dicker by stating that hooved animals efforts at the University of Guelph to and others including conservationists. I am can also be caught in steel jaw leghold develop killer traps that really kill in- confident that the labours of this group— traps. Asked to prove it, she produced stantly. Mr. Novak reported that the the Informal Group as I chose to call it— the picture from page 91 of Facts foot snare is more selective than steel will be of help to our Prime Minister in her About Furs of a pronghorn antelope traps for fox, coyote and raccoon. of Arts to achieve the goals of conservation which staggered in agony for two days Only 2% of the animals caught in the that she has set herself ... until killed by blood poisoning from foot snare had significant injuries. The "Earnest discussion at the highest level, nationally and internationally, must now the leghold trap clamped to its foot comparable figure for animals caught commence so that it may become possible (Sports Afield, November 1965). in steel jaw traps is no less than 52%. to formulate a new outlook, a new philos- The Fur Industry of America's rep- The snare will be available commer- ophy as it were, that will enable us once resentative, Gary Kugler, took excep- cially before long; the bids for produc- again to i e in harmony with nature, tak- tion to Mrs. Stevens' praise for Mr. tion were due by August 8, 1980. ing only what we must from it, while sup-
•. AWA S AWA S AWA S porting and strengthening the systems that of the U.S. Department of Agriculture • Riley led a team of special agents to sustain it. It is Institutions from all over the and Thomas Mellon of the U.S. Attor- seize more than 17,500 fur pelts, many world such as the Animal Welfare Institute ney's Office. from endangered species. This repre- of the USA inspired by the vision, human- sents the largest seizure of illegal furs in ity, and deep sense of reverence for life of • Meisner and Hufford conducted an men like Albert Schweitzer, who must investigation which led to the convic- the history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife share responsibility for leadership in this tion of Global Zoological Imports and Service. The furs were seized at a re- great and vital endeavour." Richard La Blue, a notorious trafficker mote ranch along the Rio Grande and in illegal wildlife. The defendants were were worth an estimated $1.1 million. convicted of conspiracy to import sev- h l C r n h n r d eral hundred birds into the U.S. by fil- Rachel Carson, world-renowned ing false documentation with the Cus- author and environmentalist, was toms Service, importation of endan- posthumously awarded the U.S. gov- gered species, theft of birds from La ernment's highest honor, the Presiden- Blue's quarantine station, receipt by La tial Medal of Freedom, on June 9 this Blue of stolen birds that he knew were year. Among the 13 other American infected with exotic Newcastle disease recipients of the medal were Hubert and obstruction of justice. The Justice Humphrey, Schweitzer medallist in Department has said, "The case is a 1958, Ansel Adams, eminent wildlife significant one. It has led to discovery photographer, a Roger Tory Peter- of serious flaws in the U.S. quarantine son, the distinguished ornithologist. program and is the first to involve the During her lifetime the author of Silent theft of diseased birds from quaran- Spring was awarded the Schweitzer tine." Medal; she was also on AWI's Scien- • Friend and Kleinz have been inves- tific Committee. tigating the smuggling of wildlife and Her Presidential Medal of Freedom wildlife products across the Mexican citation reads: border into southern Texas. Their Never silent herself in the face of de- work has already resulted in the arrest structive trends, Rachel Carson fed and conviction of nine major wildlife a spring of awareness across Amer- smugglers. One case involved the ica and beyond. A biologist with a seizure of 150 birds worth $75,000. gentle, clear voice, she welcomed They have also been instrumental in her audiences to her love of the sea, establishing a task force consisting of while with an equally clear, deter- themselves, an agent from the Depart- mined voice, she warns Americans ment of Agriculture and a Department of the dangers human beings them- of Justice Lands Division attorney. selves pose for their own environ- This task force will conduct investiga- ment. Always concerned, always tions into the massive illegal trade of U.S. h nd W ldl f S rv A nt eloquent, she created a tide of envi- wildlife and wildlife products in this re- h l th $ . ll n n ntr b nd f r th t r z d ft r r ronmental consciousness that has gion. Under a new interagency agree- l n nv t t n h h h h d d. not ebbed. ment, nine more such investigative ph t b v d K nn d task forces will be established at major A nt h n r d portals of smuggled wildlife in the • Guthrie and Whalen were responsi- United States. ble for an indictment recently returned f r r d n • O'Kane and Mellon successfully in Syracuse, New York against six per- n ldl f l n - conducted an in-depth investigation of sons for smuggling birds, including en- the illegal trade in reptiles. This five- dangered species, into the U.S. from Tenacious probing by eight federal year investigation, during which they Canada. Among the persons indicted agents and a prosecutor has brought had to become experts in herpetology, are two zoo curators, two bird import- hefty fines and/or jail sentences for culminated in the conviction of Henry ers and one of the largest wildlife several notorious wildlife smugglers. Molt, a Philadelphia reptile dealer who dealers in England. Their convictions mark a major ad- had collected about 1,000 reptiles The awards were presented during vance in the history of federal wildlife from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Sri a reception given by the Center for law enforcement. In recognition of the Lanka, the Philippines and Australia. Environmental Education for the envi- agents' profound contribution, the So far he has been convicted for nu- ronmentalists and scientists from all Monitor Consortium, a coalition of 35 merous violations of the Lacey Act over the world who were attending the conservation and animal welfare and the Endangered Species Act and International Whaling Commission's groups, presented them with Awards is awaiting trial for smuggling wildlife in Meeting on Cetacean Behavior and In- for Special Achievement in Wildlife two other indictments which involve telligence and the Ethics of Killing Protection. over nine hundred reptiles. Molt's Cetaceans. The reception was high- The recipients were: Jeffrey Friend, convictions and fines total $20,000, a lighted with a performance by Martita Joseph O'Kane, Robert Guthrie and year in jail and a three-year probation G6shen, whose choreographic im- David Meisner of the U.S. Customs period during which he cannot import pressions of endangered species have Service; David Kleinz, Thomas Riley reptiles nor travel to Fiji, Papua New delighted audiences around the world, and Edward Whalen of the U.S. Fish Guinea, Australia, Singapore or and composer and saxophonist Paul and Wildlife Service; Robert Hufford Switzerland. Winter.
5 rp d th fr K n r b n t t "S nd n S t " r n In a June 16th Federal Register "There are valid indications that the In recent National Oceanic and At- notice, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- kangaroo-hide industry will expand in mospheric Administration (NOAA) vice announced its intention to lift its future years..." hearings before Administrative Law 6-year ban on the commercial impor- "Admittedly, law enforcement ef- Judge Hugh Dolan, a coalition of tation of red, eastern gray, and western forts are difficult because of funding humane and environmental groups gray kangaroo parts and products. The and staffing levels; and this problem, if represented by Counsel Michael J. Service made its decision following a uncorrected, poses a threat to the Bean of the Environmental Defense cursory evaluation visit to Australia by kangaroos that might lead to their en- Fund held that so-called "sundown USFWS biologist Dr. David Anderson dangerment..." sets," the netting of dolphins and asso- of Utah. "Kangaroos are poisoned as un- ciated yellowfin tuna within 90 min- The inadequacy of Dr. Anderson's wanted competitors with livestock; utes before dusk, should be prohibited. study makes it readily apparent that they are shot for sport; or killed indis- The American Tunaboat Associa- the reasons promulgated in 1974 for criminately. There is little possibility of tion (ATA), however, maintained that imposing an import ban remain virtual- controlling such illegal killing in a such a prohibition is an inappropriate ly unchanged and may, in some in- country of this magnitude which is so solution to the problem of high por- stances, have worsened. While eighty sparsely inhabited." poise mortality. "Continuing educa- percent of the estimated population While Dr. Anderson maintains that tion" is the most effective solution, ostensibly lives in Queensland, no hunters are merely "culling surplus according to ATA. To illustrate the aerial survey has ever been conducted animals on a grazier's property," actu- effectiveness of continuing education there. The proposed ruling concedes ally the market for kangaroo hides will in reducing porpoise mortality, ATA that only the estimates of "New South powerfully affect both the quotas and cites the fact that the percentage of Wales and South Australia are based the number killed legally and illegally. sundown sets with zero mortality has on extensive aerial surveys. The other Opening commercial trade in a steadily increased in the period from States have not done aerial surveys threatened species after a complete 1977-1979. because of the greater areas involved, ban on its importation is unprecedent- While a reply brief by the environ- the complex habitats that need to be ed in U.S. regulatory history. If the mental coalition acknowledges this, it covered, or the prohibitive expense of kangaroo ban is lifted, scores of exotic is quick to point out that the total and such surveys. They depend instead on animal profiteers intent on importing a percent mortality associated with sun- other techniques such as annual hunt- certain species or its hide, fur or meat down sets has actually increased from er take or extrapolation from the New will likely flood the halls of the FWS 1977-1979, a period when overall South Wales estimate." pleading for regulatory handouts. porpoise mortality declined. The de- The FWS says it favors importation At Interior Department hearings, rived figures are 3,655 in 1977 to because "sustained yield programs September 16, Jeffrey H. Howard, 4,788 in 1978, and 6,585 in 1979. The have been developed," but according counsel for Defenders of Wildlife, peti- assertion by ATA that continued edu- to Dr. Graeme Caughley, the ecologist tioned the hearing officer to cancel or cation is preferable to a prohibition on who conducted the aerial surveys in suspend the hearings on the grounds sundown sets is unsupportable." N.S.W., nothing is known about max- that the regulations are unlawful. He Judge Dolan recommended to imum sustained yield of kangaroos," asked for the opportunity to cross- NOAA that sundown sets be prohib- and he urges that "information be col- examine Interior witnesses. The hear- ited only after implementation of a lected from kangaroo populations dur- ing officer declined and the hearing 100% observer program (i.e., a profes- ing drought." Dr. Anderson admits proceeded with testimony from five sional observer aboard each tuna that during drought the mortality rate conservation groups, an independent seiner). The final ruling will be cast by of kangaroos "could be greater than witness from New York, and three in- NOAA Administrator Richard Frank the commercial kill" which this year is dustry spokesmen. sometime this year. a quota of nearly 3 million animals. Moreover,, the Federal Register notice itself admits that the population estimates, coordination and enforce- ment are all inadequate. It states: Exp r nt l n l Concerned about the welfare of ex- "Western Australia intends to perimental animals throughout his ca- remove the red kangaroo from its 'ver- p l t j n AWI reer, he first entered the ambit of the min' classification. . ." (Emphasis sup- Dr. Leon Bernstein has joined the Animal Welfare Institute when he plied.) staff of the Animal Welfare Institute as wrote a letter, published in Information "There remain many deficiencies in a consultant in physiology. Recently Report Vol. 10 No. 3, supporting a the gathering of population data ... no retired as Special Assistant to the Chief pending bill based on the British Act management agency can do more Medical Director, Veterans Adminis- regulating experiments on animals. than its best under existing restrictions tration Central Office, and as Pro- Stating that he had been licensed to on money and personnel ..." fessor, Department of Medicine, peiform experiments on animals "Regulations and management pol- George Washington University, Dr. under the British law, he pointed out icy concerning kangaroos are not uni- Bernstein is a member of the Royal that "the formalities involved are form between the states. . . . The cur- College of Surgeons, a Licentiate of trivial; I do not recall that in my own rent lack of coordination will not result the Royal College of Physicians, and case they ever occupied more than in the extinction of the species within has a PhD in physiology from the Uni- one minute of my time for each experi- the foreseeable future but does pose a versity of London. He belongs to both ment I performed, and perhaps thirty threat that could lead to endanger- the American and British Physiological minutes for the completion of the an- ment if not corrected..." Societies. nual report."
6 C n d —C nt n d C nd d Sh t n C rr d r f th t l M tr p l The first thing to note is that the Scientific Committee was itself split on b hn . nt the issue of the sperm whale morato- rium—with the conservation-minded scientists being in favor. Given the instructions that he had, it is hard to understand Commissioner Mercer's pp n vote. His vote is even harder to under- stand in the light of the Scientific Committee's advice on sperm whale stocks. In two areas this advice amounted to an "unequivocal" call for a moratorium. As for the third area, the quota recommendation was very halfhearted; grave uncertainties were admitted— of a kind which assuredly influenced some scientists to press for a moratorium on ll sperm whaling. In short, the scientific position on the three separate sperm whale stocks served to strengthen rather than to r v n C n r d v r nd All d v r l r nd t ll S v t weaken the conservationist case for a p n C n r Y n z v t d C n r, r. I. . n r v t t l ban on the killing of sperm h nd n h nd n t h l n rv t n whales. Yet the Canadian Commis- r . sioner, despite his instructions, op- posed it. Of course it should not have mat- tered too much. The scientists still recommended zero in two areas out of
". . . th C tt n n th t C n d x rt h r nfl n t h v ( r t r n ll r l h l n ] nd v t t a mora- torium pr p l." IA MC AGGA -COWA C ai ma Commi ee o W a es a W a i g o e Ca a ia go e me three, including the main plundering ground, the North Pacific. If these recommendations had been adopted, the damage would have been con- r. G. G. n, S th Afr n tained. A t n n f ll d d n n h l n n t n C n r, n l l t d IWC But that is not how the IWC works. d l t Ch r n The defeat of the moratorium opened the floodgates. Heedless of scientific advice, quotas were set for all three areas. In the North Pacific the Com- r n h l n n t small whaling is not in accordance with missioners voted 890 male sperm Norwegian law for the prevention of whales with a so-called "by-catch" of n rd th r lt cruelty to animals." Norderhaug em- 11.5% females to allow for miscalcula- l phasizes, "Now that we know that the tions by harpoonists. whales are very intelligent animals By then it was all too late for the Most of the whales killed by Norway with a nervous system just as ad- Canadian Commissioner to vote zero are minke whales. Norway has good vanced as the humans', this is, to put it in support of the scientists. For by then anti-cruelty laws governing the mildly, serious." the battle was lost beyond recall. slaughter of domestic animals and the Please write to Norway's Minister of capture of fur bearers, but the minke the Environment urging him to press Ch r n f th Int rn t n l whales' prolonged agony remains a foraan end to commercial whaling by Wh l n C n nd Ch r n blot on Norway's reputation as an ad- Norway and, until Norway stops killing f t hn l C tt , M l l vanced nation. whales, to require that cold harpoons M r r p rf l f r n th IWC. Magnar Norderhaug of Norway's be a o is e because of the long, slow A r t r f th h r r h Environment Ministry, author of St t death they cause. The Minister may be r n h f C n d p rt nt f 80, Norwegian Yearbook of Conserva- addressed as follows: Rolf Hansen, h r . h l p rf l f r n tion (1979), wrote: "One can claim on Minister of the Environment, Mynt- C n d n f h r r l . clear grounds that the Norwegian gaten 2, Oslo, Dep., Norway.
7 work on diverting dolphins from their C ld h rp n — ll v t r migrations past Iki where overfishing has led the fishermen to blame the h IWC d b t d j r r l missioner Yonezawa said that current dolphins for past and present human t —" ld" h rp n . h Japanese research into the "humane errors. The bloody, callous and totally C n r v t d v r killing" of minkes will not be com- unregulated slaughter of the dolphins h l n l ( nl p n, S th pleted in time for next year's voting. is unworthy of a civilized nation. K r nd , pp n t This is unacceptable stalling. Prime Ask Prime Minister Suzuki to see b n th f th pr t v Minister Suzuki can insist that the that the dolphins are successfully di- p n n ll h l x pt research be speeded up. Write him verted from Iki this year. Demand that n . t n n n urging him to stop the needless cruelty the huge machine into which the p th b l f th IWC to minke whales. Tell him you are slaughtered dolphins are dropped and t , nd n nl Sp n nd boycotting Japanese goods and will ground into fertilizer be dismantled S th K r ( n IWC continue to do so while Japan con- and removed from Iki. Unless this b r th ld h rp n n th tinues to hunt whales in such a cruel "Dolphin Disposal" machine is l r r h l , th p rt l b n fashion. His address: r M n t r removed, the dolphins will again be h rdl r t t p f r rd. n S z , Off f th r M n bountied and killed. Minkes are small whales which until t r, 6 t Ch , Ch v d K , recently were considered too small to 00. Sp n nd S th K r be worth hunting. The explosive har- t t t n r l n poons designed for the great whales lph n t blast right through the minke's slender Spain and South Korea still use cold Please also urge Japan's Prime Min- harpoons for 80-foot long whales, but body, so rendering its carcass unfit for ister to halt the spearing of dolphins at the Japanese meat packers. The as members of the IWC they will have Iki Island. And again tell him you are to stop in the 1980-81 season or file boycotting Japanese goods until dol- an objection to the new IWC ruling. " h n t rd r t r phin policies are changed. Failure to adhere to the ruling would f th ld h rp n n th t, Japanese scientists have done little subject them to the Packwood-Magnu- n v r , h l t n nd r son amendment to the Fisheries Con- th f th Int rn t n l servation and Management Act, and Wh l n C n r n they could lose important fishing rights t n l n r t d nd r n within 200 miles of the United States. r t r p n th n h b n th Senators Bob Packwood ( Oreg.) n th p t. h j t f t n and Warren Magnuson (D. Wash.), in f r th nt n d r rd f th creating this solid economic incentive, n r ll pt d n l r ht greatly surpassed the effectiveness of th t th r l d t the IWC itself in offering a deterrent to th t p rt n f th n l t n violation of IWC quotas and rules. b n." o esso e ek O i g o Aus a ia Commissio e rt l Portugal refuses to join the IWC. whalers have therefore reverted to an- There is thus no pressure on Portu- cient implements developed before guese whalers to stop using the cold the invention of gunpowder—and in harpoon on the large whales. O tl the coming season more than 10,000 Wh l n , 80, Greenpeace logs a minkes will die slowly and in agony. 24-hour courageous and resourceful Prompted by Australian Commis- struggle of a great sperm whale bull sioner, Professor Derek Ovington, the against the unrelenting series of har- IWC resolved that at next year's meet- C r h n M , r t r f th poons thrust by Portuguese whalers ing it will consider extending the ban Sp n h h l n t t n, f n ll into the animal whenever he rose to on cold harpoons to minke whales. ph t r ph d n n n rd d nt. the surface to breathe. This senseless The Japanese are not pleased. Com- ph t b hn nt cruelty must end.
An l W lf r In t t t
S nt f C tt Off r Marjorie Anchel, Ph.D. Christine Stevens, President Bennett Derby, M.D. Cynthia Wilson, Vice President F. Barbara Orlans, Ph.D. John Beary, M.D., Vice President Roger Payne, Ph.D. Marjorie Cooke, Secretary Samuel Peacock, M.D. Roger L. Stevens, Treasurer John Walsh, M.D. St ff Int rn t n l C tt Leon Bernstein, Ph.D., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., T. G. Antikatzides, D.V.M.— Greece Consultant ini,Physiology Major C. W. Hume, O.B.E., M.C., B.Sc., M.I. Biol. Diane Halverson, Research Assistant —United Kingdom Lynne Hutchison, Whale Campaign Secretary Angela King—United Kingdom Fran Lipscomb, Executive Assistant David Ricardo—Canada Nell Naughton, Mail Order Secretary N. E. Wernberg— Denmark Adele Schoepperle, Assistant Treasurer Godofredo Stutzin— Chile Sheryl Sternenberg, Publications Secretary