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From: Kate Wing <[log in to unmask]>
Marine Mammals
{CITES - IWC WHALING JURISDICTION. ON JUNE 13, 1997, DELEGATES
AT THE MEETING OF CITES (CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN
ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA) PARTIES IN ZIMBABWE
VOTED 27-57 BY SECRET BALLOT TO DEFEAT A JAPANESE PROPOSAL TO
SEVER LINKAGE BETWEEN CITES AND THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING
COMMISSION, GIVING WHALE CONSERVATION MONITORING TO CITES
EXCLUSIVELY.} [ASSOC PRESS]
Hawaiian Whale Sanctuary. June 6, 1997, was the deadline by
which HI Governor Ben Cayetano was to have decided how much, if
any, of a proposed 1,680 square miles of state waters and
submerged lands should be included within the Hawaiian Islands
Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and managed under its
federal management plan. [Assoc Press]
Atlantic Large Whale Protection. In late May 1997, U.S.
District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock ruled that federal
agencies were making sufficient progress through proposed
regulations to address citizen concerns for better protecting
north Atlantic right whales. [Assoc Press]
Tuna-Dolphin Legislation. H.R. 408, amendments to the Marine
Mammal Protection Act relating to the International Dolphin
Conservation Program, was approved by the full House on May 21,
1997, by a vote of 262-166. [Federal Register, personal
communication]
Norwegian Whaling. On May 20, 1997, 28 Norwegian whalers and 4
whalemeat processing companies argued in an appeal of a lower
court denial on a $8.5 million lawsuit against the Norwegian
government in Oslo district court, claiming they sustained
considerable loss when the Norwegian government failed to support
the whaling industry between 1988 and 1993 and did not permit
commercial whaling. On May 26, 1997, a Dutch court rejected Paul
Watson's petition for release on bail at a hearing on his
possible extradition to Norway. The court is to submit its
recommendation concerning the Norwegian petition for extradition
within two weeks. Lofoten Islands police have announced that
legal proceedings in Lofoten County Court are scheduled against
Watson in Norway on Sept. 1, 1997, relating to alleged negligent
navigation and collision with a Norwegian coast guard vessel in
the summer of 1994. Compensation for damages of $120,000 with
possible interest is sought by the Norwegian Navy for this
collision. On May 28, 1997, the Norwegian Directorate for Nature
Management wrote a letter to the CITES Secretariat stating that
Norway will establish a DNA register for whales to better
identify whalemeat from whales taken under proclaimed Norwegian
quotas, as an addendum to Norway's proposal to downlist 2 minke
whale stocks. {On June 9, 1997, a Dutch court decided not to
grant Norway's request for extradition of Paul Watson; Watson was
subsequently released. On June 11, 1997, Oslo district court
rejected whalers' arguments in a lawsuit against the Norwegian
government, and ruled that the government had the right to stop
whaling from 1988 to 1992.} [Assoc Press, High North Alliance
News, Dow Jones News, personal communication]
Captive Manatees Outside FL? On May 20, 1997, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service officials reported in the Fort Myers, FL,
News-Press that more than 50 manatees are in captivity in FL, and
that display facilities are overcrowded. Some manatees that are
not candidates for release may be made available to public
display facilities outside FL, if appropriate captive maintenance
standards can be met. [Assoc Press]
Dolphin Feeding Enforcement. On May 19, 1997, NMFS issued an
announcement reminding the public that it is illegal to feed or
swim with dolphins in the wild. NMFS personnel are holding news
conferences at various locations in FL where dolphin feeding has
become popular. NMFS has contracted with the FL Marine Patrol to
provide additional enforcement relating to dolphins during 1997
and, in 1998, NMFS expects to fund an additional 6 enforcement
officers for protected species enforcement, including dolphin
feeding and harassment. [Assoc Press, NMFS press release]
Japanese Scientific Whaling. On May 12-16, 1997, the
International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee is
meeting behind closed doors in Tokyo, Japan, to review Japan's
scientific whaling program. Results of this review will be
presented at the IWC's annual meeting in Monaco in October 1997.
[Dow Jones News, Reuters]
....
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