William Graham (Conservative AM for South Wales East) responding news that Japan has suspended its annual whale hunt.
“I am sure this news will be greatly welcomed by people in South Wales ”.
“People’s fascination with whales could not be more graphically illustrated when in September 2004, over 5000 people walked over 2 miles along the coastal path to Newport East Lighthouse to see the body of a 60ft long Fin whale that had been washed ashore”.
“Each year the Japanese whaling fleet kills between 800 and 1,000 whales in defiance of a world-wide moratorium on whale hunting. They claim that this is scientific research, however most of the whale meat is sold for consumption in restaurants”.
“The suspension arises from International condemnation of the hunt and harassment form environmental campaigners ‘Seashepherd’”.
“There is speculation that if the whaling fleet is ‘called home’ it will be the end of this annual whale hunt”.
