JAPANESE DOLPHIN HUNTS

Early day motion 566, tabled 23 January 2003 by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 103 members.

That this House is deeply concerned that Japan is killing increasing numbers of whales and selling whale meat in defiance of the moratorium on commercial whaling; is appalled that Japanese fishermen also slaughter around 25,000 dolphins, porpoises and other small whales each year in unregulated hunts despite repeated concerns expressed by the International Whaling Organisation that these catches are clearly unsustainable; is further concerned that the Japanese Government is refusing to cooperate with the IWC and curtail these hunts; and calls on the Government to make the strongest possible representations to the Japanese Government to heed the concerns of the IWC and the wider international community and to stop all dolphin, porpoise and other small cetacean hunts immediately.

Signatures by party: Labour 60, Liberal Democrat 18, Conservative 8, Labour/Co-operative 6, Scottish National Party 4, Plaid Cymru 3, DUP 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.