November 17, 2000. Copyright 2000. Graphic News. All rights 
reserved.

WHALING FLEET SETS SAIL FOR ANTARCTIC SANCTUARY
	
LONDON, November 17, Graphic News: A FLEET of Japanese whaling 
ships has set sail for the Antarctic barely a day after U.S. 
President Bill Clinton urged Japan to curb its controversial 
programme.
	The Southern Ocean Sanctuary was established by the International 
Whaling Commission in 1994 by a 23-1 vote, with only Japan voting 
against the proposal. The World Wide Fund for Nature has accused 
Japan of ÒbuyingÓ votes from developing countries in order to 
reverse the moratorium. 
The Japanese research whaling programme was expanded in July to 
include BrydeÕs and sperm whales which are protected under U.S. 
law.
Japan insists research whaling is permitted by International 
Whaling Commission rules and say it has resumed the hunt for 
sperm and BrydeÕs whales because scientific data suggest their 
numbers have recovered sufficiently to allow the catches -- a 
point on which debate still rages.
Whale meat was an important source of protein in Japan after 
World War Two, but it has become a gourmet food since the 1960s, 
with falling supplies and high price tags of about $37 to $57 per 
kilo.
Fourteen countries have joined the United States in protesting 
against JapanÕs expanded hunt. Japan gave up commercial whaling 
in compliance with an international moratorium in 1986 but has 
conducted what it calls scientific research whaling since 1987.
Japan exported $329.5 million of seafood to the United States in 
the 12 months ending March 2000.
/ENDS

Source: Reuters, WWF, Greenpeace