Panel calls on Japan to accept fact-finding mission on whaling

An international panel monitoring wildlife trade on Monday recommended Japan accept a fact-finding mission to see whether its hunting of sei whales in the North Atlantic is purely for scientific purposes as it claims.The Standing Committee for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, made the recommendation at a meeting in Geneva, saying Japan's whaling of the species may violate the rules of the convention.(Christin Khan, NOAA / NEFSC)It is the first time that Japan's hunting of sei whales has been on the official CITES agenda, accordin…READ FULL ARTICLE