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| Banner Photography: © Tom Brakefield |
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Take Action
Photography: © Claire Bass / EIAThe Caribbean countries of St. Lucia, Antigua
and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were all IWC
members in 1982 and voted in favour of the international
ban (the moratorium) on commercial whaling. Although a member
at the time, Dominica was not present for this vote.
After the moratorium was implemented in 1986, St. Lucia
and St. Vincent and the Grenadines changed their position
in favour of Japan’s pro-whaling policies, a move which
was swiftly followed by new Japanese fisheries aid grants
to those countries. Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis joined
the IWC in the early 1990s and have voted consistently with
Japan on key issues, although St. Kitts and Nevis did not
obtain voting rights until 1999. Antigua and Barbuda changed
its position to pro-whaling in 1997, after being the only
Caribbean country to cast a vote in favour of the Southern
Ocean Whale Sanctuary in 1994.
By 1999, all six Eastern Caribbean countries were present
and voting at the IWC and fully aligned with Japan’s
increasingly aggressive pro-whaling campaign, repeatedly speaking
out at IWC meetings in support of Japan. The solidarity of
the Caribbean countries was clearly revealed in 1999, when
Antigua and Barbuda announced on behalf of the Eastern Caribbean
states that they would not take further part in the discussion
of Japan’s
Dall’s porpoise hunt, and left the meeting room with
the Japanese delegation before the vote on a Resolution calling
for a reduction in the number of Dall’s porpoises killed
in Japan took place.
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Votes taken at the 2006 Annual IWC Meeting |
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Japan's proposal to delete disussion of small cetaceans in IWC Commission
meeting |
Japan's proposal to allow secret ballot voting |
Japan's proposal for an annual commercial quota of
150 minke whales |
Japan's proposal to abolish the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary |
The St. Kitts & Nevis Declaration |
St. Kitts proposal to use IWC funds to meet budget shortfall for hosting
meeting |
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| Antigua & Barbuda |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Dominica |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Grenada |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Japan |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| St. Kitts & Nevis |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| St. Lucia |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| St. Vincent & G |
YES |
YES |
YES |
Abstention |
YES |
YES |
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Overall votes -
Yes/No/Abstention |
30/32/1
FAILED |
30/33/1
FAILED |
30/31/4
FAILED |
28/33/4
FAILED |
33/32/1
PASSED
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30/30/4
FAILED |
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req 3/4 majority |
req 3/4 majority |
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