FLORIANOPOLIS (BRAZIL) - Pro- and anti-whaling nations are set for a showdown when the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meets in Brazil from Monday as Japan leads an assault on a three-decade old moratorium on commercial whale hunting. They say it's a blatant attempt to overturn the 1986 moratorium and restore commercial whaling. "Member countries must stand together and push progress towards whale protection, not let this commission be pulled back into the bygone era of commercial whaling." Ahead of the IWC meeting, Australia said it would "vehemently oppose" any attempts to undermine the moratorium. Iceland and Norway are the only countries that allow commercial whaling and are likely to come under renewed pressure at the IWC meeting, which runs until Friday.

Source: Bangkok Post September 09, 2018 04:41 UTC