儘管日本代表主張撤銷捕鯨禁令，國際捕鯨協會(IWC)31日重申，將堅守自1986年開始執行的商業捕鯨禁令。包括日本在內的26個贊成捕鯨國家在議事投票時棄權，保鯨勢力在護鯨戰役中暫時獲勝。
取得37國多數領先的保鯨團體同意，商業捕鯨禁令仍屬有效；徹底扭轉2006年「無維持必要」的決議。會議觀察者表示，投票結果確立保鯨國家集團已有新勢力加入。
日本代表認為，這樣的結果是「可以預期、但令人遺憾。」守法的日本自1986年停止商業捕鯨，但從1987年開始，為「科學研究」目的繼續捕鯨行動。
由紐西蘭提出的「捕鯨禁令」是非強制性決議，獲得40國支持，2國反對。日本在內的捕鯨國並未出席投票。
日本南極鯨類研究計畫第一期，自1987到2005年，共捕殺將近6800頭鯨魚。2006年，日本展開第二期計畫，預計每年為科學研究犧牲935隻小鬚鯨和50隻瀕臨絕種的長鬚鯨，今年再增加50隻大翅鯨。綠色和平組織和海洋看守保育協會過去兩年駕船至南極海阻止捕鯨屠殺行動；2006年12月，海洋看守協會的反捕鯨船和日本捕鯨船意外撞擊事件，彼此嚴厲譴責。
綠色和平組織代表羅騰貝里（Shane Rattenbury）表示，「日本應立刻中止第二期計畫，幾千隻鯨魚不該再無謂犧牲！」
The International Whaling Commission today re-authorized the existing moratorium on commercial whaling that has been in place since 1986. A group of 26 pro-whaling nations, including Japan, abstained from the vote, which showed the renewed strength of the whale conservation bloc.
The whale conservation majority of 37 countries adopted a resolution stating that the whaling ban "remains valid," effectively overturning last year's statement by a temporary pro-whaling majority that the moratorium was "no longer required." The vote indicates the renewed strength of the anti-whaling group of nations, observers said today.
A Japanese government delegate said that the result was "expected but regrettable." Japan stopped commercial whaling in line with the 1986 moratorium but has been hunting whales since 1987 for what it calls scientific research purposes.
The non-binding resolution proposed by New Zealand was passed with 40 votes in favor and two against. Again, the group of countries recruited by Japan as allies did not participate in the vote.
Japan's first Antarctic Research Program, JARPA, from 1987 to 2005 killed nearly 6,800 whales.
In 2006, Japan opened JARPA II, which calls for the killing of up to 935 minke whales each year as well as 50 endangered fin whales. Japan plans to add 50 endangered humpbacks this year. It is this whale hunt that has brought Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd Society ships to the Southern Ocean for the past two years in attempts to stop the slaughter. A Sea Shepherd vessel tangled with a Japanese whaler in December, an incident for which each side blames the other.
Greenpeace delegation leader Shane Rattenbury said today, "The JARPA II programme that began two years ago must be immediately ended before thousands more whales die needlessly."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
