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However, to this point RFBs have been largely ineffective for a number of reasons, the foremost of which is that few of the RFBs have actually utilized the instruments provided to them by the above agreements. Many of the RFB charters contradict these new instruments, but few RFBs have moved towards changing their charters in order to allow the use of these instruments. Most RFB mandates only allow them to provide suggestions to their member nations. Also, many RFBs have as members nations with conflicted conflicting interests, especially between developed and developing nations, which have which has bred inefficiency. In many cases member nations have even refused to abide by the decisions of their RFBs.
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The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora regulates the export and import of endangered plants and animals between countries. All species covered under this treaty fit under one of three categories: Appendix I, Appendix II, and Appendix III (CITES, 2007a). Appendix I includes species threatened by extinction; export and import permits are required. Appendix II includes species in which trade must be controlled against utilization which threatens survivalstrictly controlled to prevent overexploitation; only export permits are required in for this group. Appendix III includes species that are protected by at least one country which has asked for assistance regarding trade; export permits and certificates of origin are required for such species. Cetacean species under Appendix I include the bowhead whale, right whale, humpback whale, roqual whale, grey whale, pygmy right whale, sperm whale, beaked whales, bottle-nosed whales, dolphins, river dolphins, and porpoises (CITES, 2007b). All other species of whales are listed under Appendix II.
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However, studies commissioned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Iceland Nature Conservation Association (INCA) have shown that demand for whale meat is very minimal in Iceland and Norway (IFAW, 2007). In addition, regulations set by CITES should prevent the export of whale meat to other countries - consumption of whale products should be limited to the country in which the whale was hunted. Japan, the country with the greatest demand for whales, would not be allowed to import any whales. Thus, lacking demand and the ability to ship whale meat, Iceland and Norway should have no reason to continue with their commercial whaling endeavorsThus there should be no reason to continue commercial whaling.
Scientific Whaling
Despite the zero catch limit set by the IWC, individual nations can still issue scientific permits that allow the lethal hunting of whales for research purposes. The right to issue such licenses is under the control of each nation and overrides all other IWC regulations, including the moratorium and sanctuaries (IWC, 2007c). Currently, only Japan, Iceland, and Norway are utilizing this right to kill whales for scientific research. Accusations have been made by several third-party organizations that these permits have been used as a loophole in the IWC moratorium and that the whales caught during such research are being killed primarily for commercial use. Japan has denied such claims.
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An integral part of solving the current problem is taking action against all forces which are destroying marine life and the marine environment. One such force which the public is not generally aware of is pollution from cruise ships. California Represenative Sam Farr, whose district includes the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, writes, "The pristine ocean cruisers we see in TV commercials are also massive ocean polluters, often generating and dumping wastes equivalent to those of a small city into our coastal waters" (Clemmitt, 2005). Even more devastating are the effects of cruise ships on delicate environments such Caribbean coral reefs, where the effects of pollution are magnified: In the United States, cruise ships are allowed to dump raw, untreated sewage into the ocean after the ship has moved beyond the three-mile limit, ocean when they are more than three miles from land and many ships routinely perform this action. Indeed, this waste is filled with bacteria, killing and sickening marine life and harming human health (Clemmitt, 2005).
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