Greenland humpbacks on the table at the IWC and maybe of hotels in a few weeks
It looks like the humpbacks may have been stitched up, more to come. This is going to be odd blog as its going to refresh as the presentation by Denmark at the IWC takes place.
The USA, who sought to 'slam dunk' their ASW quotas through with everyone elses, may have been outmaneuvered by the Chairman and whalers.
Denmark has been able to get its application presented on its own and having made promises to reduce quotas on other species, now seems to be pushing ahead with its quotas.
In its presentation, Greenland notes that groups (WDCS and WSPA) have mentioned that they do have commercial elements in their hunts, but (and maybe reflecting on Loftsson's comments), "no Greenlander will be a millionaire from whaling".
Now they attack the EU for 'petty domestic politics and being the early hunters of 'their ' whales.
Now argue for trade in whale products - I feel the slide towards commercial whaling getting strong here.
Now Greenland threatens to leave if they are not given their demands, saying the results of his discussion will determine this issue - i.e. "give us our whales or we walk".
My real problem with this is that our [WDCS]investigations show that some Greenlanders are abusing the rights of those that really need to hunt. This proposal when it goes through will make their futures more tenuous.
Ah, and now we hear the arguments for Humpbacks, on the grounds that its 'opportunistic'
Now the presentation discusses commercialization: basically saying that whales are hunted all over the place and meat needs to be moved around the country,
Grenades cost $1400, and some whales need 2 grenades, and crews need to be paid.
Supermarkets are important for moving food around the country, 'but all sharing is with greenlanders'
They have just said that 'It is true that commercial and ASW are intertwined, there is no difference'. But Greenland argues that "profit maximization is not the driver in Greenland".
Now we have argument for tonnage needed (that's tonnage for hotels as well of course, as teh WDCS report indicates).
Greenland now argue for multispecies management of species.
Now Denmark has just moved to put the vote off until tomorrow. Lets see what happens now
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