In this 2005 cartoon Minister of Conservation Chris Carter represents New Zealand while M. [Moby] Dick represents ‘Wales’ on the International Whaling Commission. Anti-whaling nations believed Japan bought votes from small countries on the commission in return for generous aid deals. In 1986 the commission voted to ban commercial whaling, but a loophole allowed ‘scientific whaling’. Through this practice Japan has taken about 440 minke whales from the Southern Ocean each year. In 2005 Japan tried to increase its harvest to 930 minkes, 50 fin whales and 50 humpbacks from Antarctic seas. Japan narrowly lost the vote, by 30 to 27.
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