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The critical vote to allow Iceland back into the IWC came from Sweden. The Swedish government is now claiming the vote was a mistake but the damage has been done.

Sweden's vote would not have been so important if it were not for the fact that the Fisheries Agency of Japan has used fisheries aid to buy the votes of developing countries. Nine of the 19 votes to admit Iceland were obtained in this way. Every year the bloc of votes controlled by Japan increases. The anti-whaling governments know this, but none of them are willing to speak out.

The only thing which can prevent further attacks on whales is that governments speak out against vote buying. If Sweden indeed did make a mistake, they now have a golden opportunity to prove that they are still committed to whale conservation.

Please take a moment now to send a letter to the Swedish foreign minister and prime minister.

Take action: help stop whaling in the North Pacific

The Fisheries Agency of Japan intends to escalate its whaling activities by targeting a new species, Sei whales, in the North Pacific. Sei whales were heavily exploited in the last century and are now classified as an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

This year's whaling quota for the North Pacific will allow 150 minke whales, 50 Bryde's whales, 10 sperm whales and 50 sei whales. This is addition to the 440 minke whales taken each year in the Antarctic.

Start your own campaign with this downloadable action kit

You can help stop commercial whaling with our action kit. Send a letter in Japanese to the Foreign Minister of Japan, put up posters in your community to recruit more cyberactivists or write a letter to your local newnewspaper. Download the kit

Show your support for whale conservation

You can show your opposition to whaling in person. Join the picture petition against commercial whaling by uploading a picture of yourself and a personal statement for our online picture petition. Click here to join the international petition or join the German petition here.

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Caribbean Hiking

Caribbean Safari

Take action: Put the pressure on the Japanese government

In recent years Japan has actively and openly corrupted the IWC by using Overseas Development Aid (ODA) to buy the votes of some existing members and to recruit new members in support of a resumption of commercial whaling. Although some countries have challenged Japan and Norway's attempts to resume commercial whaling, the reality is that Japan is buying a return to commercial whaling.

Yet these countries are not doing enough to challenge the Japanese government's tactics.

Take Action: Join the Global Whale Action Team and Discussion Group!

Join the new Whales Discussion Group.

Enjoy a Caribbean whale watching holiday in Dominica, book through Caribzones and a proportion of your holiday will be donated to Greenpeace.