Norway Told:No Science, No Whaling

[The.Greenbase@gb.greenpeace.org]

>> NORWAY TOLD: NO SCIENCE, NO WHALING


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                    GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> NORWAY TOLD: NO SCIENCE, NO WHALING

DUBLIN, IRELAND, Wednesday May 31, 1995 (GP) The International
Whaling Commission today called on Norway to immediately halt its
whale hunt.

Twenty-one countries supported this resolution that also called
on Norway to withdraw its objection to the commercial whaling
moratorium which, under IWC rules, technically allows Norway to
ignore the Commission's decisions.

"Today's unprecedented move reveals the conviction of the
countries who sent this very blunt message to Norway.  Greenpeace
congratulates these countries for confronting Norway's whale hunt
head-on," said Greenpeace's John Frizell. "Norway's Green
reputation is almost gone."

Today's vote was the strongest condemnation of Norway's whaling
yet to come out of the IWC.  Norway's only allies voting against
an overwhelming majority were Republic of Korea, Solomon Islands,
Dominica, Denmark and Japan.

The latest blow to Norway comes on day three of the IWC meeting
and only two days after the Commission's Scientific Committee

confirmed that Norway had no scientific basis for its commercial
minke whale hunt.  It said the minke whale population estimate
provided by Norway was not valid.

As of Monday, Norwegian whalers had killed 82 whales of their
government's self-appointed quota of 232 -- about one-third of
their target.

Speaking after the resolution was passed, the Norwegian
Commissioner Kare Bryn referred to the Greenpeace "No Way Norway"
banners outside the front gates in his response to the call to
stop the hunt.  He said: "No way".

ENDS

For more information please contact
Desley Mather at 353 1 676 4013 (Room 112) or (mobile) ++44 385
258446.