Whale Sanctuaries, Article Review Example

The article describes the two opposing views on hunting whales in the North Atlantic. While the conservationist Latin-American countries claim that complete ban is required, some countries, such as Japan state that jobs and economies could be affected by the ban. The International Whaling Commission proposed a full ban, while other parties are calling for considering workers’ rights to employment, and countries’ economic interest.

The problem described in the article is common in international relations. The economic interest of countries and the environment often is not aligned. It is important to review related protocols related to hunting, fishing, and environmental protection. As the waters in question are not currently protected, and used by several countries, it is necessary that the WWF makes a clear stand and coordinates negotiation among affected nations. According to the WWF, the North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered animals. The organization currently claims for support from customers to buy only MSC certified seafood.

Creating sanctuaries, providing a safe breeding environment for whales, and regulating commercial hunting seems to be a reasonable agreement. However, all countries affected by the new regulations should sign the protocol. The bottom line is that if the companies are able to hunt whales any time, without any restrictions, it is likely that whales would die out, and they would lose their business, profits. This means that by creating whale sanctuaries, just like the International Whale Convention proposed would benefit the environment, countries, and companies alike. Further, creating these sanctuaries would later help researchers and support national tourism industries of countries in Latin-America. Reaching an agreement is crucial to protecting the environment and the endangered species.