WELLINGTON, New Zealand (4 Oct 2001) -- South Pacific nations are creating a safe haven for whales even without permission from the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The Cook Islands has announced that its exclusive economic zone of about two million square kilometres is now a whale sanctuary. Whales are already protected within New Zealand and Australia's exclusive zones and French Polynesia and Niue are understood to be about to follow suit. New Zealand Conservation Minister Sandra Lee hinted after this year's IWC meeting in London that the South Pacific might take matters into its own hands after a proposal to create a South Pacific whale sanctuary was voted down because of strong opposition from pro-whaling nations. | |
Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister Dr Robert Woonton says his country hopes to encourage its friends and neighbours to take similar steps to protect whales. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
