Critics say the government has come out in favour of whale hunting to curry political support for its proposals to trade in ivory and rhino horn.
At a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) late last month, government representatives supported a scheme that would make it possible for commercial whaling to resume. Japan and Norway are the principal nations in favour of lifting a moratorium on commercial whaling that has been in operation since 1986.
At the same time the government has been fine-tuning its proposals for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). These include an in-principle agreement to sell white rhino products and approval for the sale of South Africa’s 30 000-ton ivory stockpile — probably to Japan.
“There is much scope for political trade-offs in the area,” says Ed Couzens, senior lecturer at the University of Natal-Durban, who is doing a PhD on political and legal links between Cites and the IWC.
“Japan has been playing a political game to protect its whaling industry since the early 1980s, when it was exposed for putting pressure on small countries like the Seychelles. Recently it has become quite open about ‘buying votes’ in favour of whaling — offering aid to countries such as Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent in exchange for support at IWC meetings.”
The government’s support of the whaling scheme took NGOs by surprise, because South Africa has traditionally sided with the anti-whaling faction at the IWC.
In response to outrage at the decision, the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism responded it does not support lifting the whaling moratorium, but rather “ongoing debate” about a management scheme that could see regulated commercial whaling in the future.
“There is, at present, no indication such a decision will be taken soon. South Africa is not contemplating that the moratorium should be lifted,” says ministerial spokesperson Phindile Makwakwa.
South Africa’s proposals for the next Cites gathering in November are expected to include approval of a “zero quota” for trade in white rhino horn, pending further research into its sustainability. The proposals were due to be finalised by June 6.