Monday, 12 November 2007
Professor Rothwell’s lecture is sponsored by UWA’s Faculty of Law and the Institute of Advanced Studies.
Japan’s scientific whaling program has attracted considerable international controversy, due to the increased take of minke whales and more recently the expansion of the take to more than 900 minke whales as well as the endangered fin and humpback whales.
This month Japan will start its full-scale scientific whaling program in the Southern Ocean (JARPA II) under a loophole in the provisions of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling which permits whaling under special permit for scientific purpose.
The Australian Government has been highly critical of JARPA II, arguing that Japan is conducting commercial whaling under the guise of science. Japan has steadily increased its take of whales to numbers that now have the potential to impact upon the commercial whale watching industry, which has blossomed along the eastern and west Australian coasts.
Professor of International Law at the Australia National University, Professor Rothwell is a regular media commentator on international law issues and was a member of the Paris Panel of Independent Legal Experts on Special Permit Scientific Whaling Under International Law in 2006.
He chaired the Report of the Sydney Panel of Independent International Legal Experts on Japan’s Special Permit (Scientific) Whaling Under International Law in December 2006. In May 2007, he was an Observer at the 59th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission, Anchorage.
Media references
Audrey Barton (Institute of Advanced Studies) 61 8 6488 1340
Simone Hewett
/
Sally-Ann Jones
61 8 6488 7977
(UWA Public Affairs) 0420 790 097 / 0420 790 098
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