Date: Thu, 6 Jun, 1996
South African whales said safe from policy review
By Brendan Boyle

CAPE TOWN, (Reuter) - South African Environment Minister Dawie de Villiers affirmed on Thursday that whales would be safe along the country's coast, even though a government review of its opposition to whaling was under way.

De Villiers told the Senate in Cape Town that South African support for the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) comprehensive ban on whaling would be reexamined as part of an overall review of fisheries policy. But he said South Africa was aware of the benefits to tourism of the southern right whales that visit the coast from June to November each year, and "will take no action that will threaten the wellbeing of this precious inheritance."

South Africa has not hunted whales for over 30 years.
"Given the long history of international exploitation...it would not only be inconsistent, but also foolish to reverse the current situation whereby all whales are afforded full protection in South African waters," said de Villiers.

The first word of the South African review came in a policy document sent to a limited number of environmentalists and officials proposing a low profile at the next IWC meeting pending a review of its support of an international whaling ban.
"It is proposed that South Africa should retain its independent spirit in order to protect South Africa's interests and should use its influence to combat extremism in favour of non-whaling," South African IWC commissioner and Department of Sea Fisheries director Guillaume de Villiers said in the paper. He told Reuters, however, that while South Africa might reexamine its policy on the sustainable use of prolific whale species elsewhere, it would not consider whaling off its own shores or in the southern ocean whale sanctuary.

The environment minister, who is no relation, said on Thursday that South Africa was reviewing many of the policies inherited from the white minority government in 1994.
"It is only fair and natural that government should be afforded an opportunity to review past policies also in regard (to whaling) and in the light of the proposed new national fisheries policy," he added. De Villiers is one of six National Party ministers who will relinquish their portfolios at the end of the month, when their white-led party quits President Nelson Mandela's transitional government of national unity.

Pallo Jordan, a member of Mandela's African National Congress, will take over the environment and tourism portfolio.



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