Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

New Zealand’s Conservation Minister heading for Tuvalu to discuss whaling

Posted at 21:33 on 05 May, 2006 UTC

The Conservation Minister Chris Carter is leaving for Tuvalu this morning to discuss whaling issues.

Japan holds a majority on paper at next month’s International Whaling Commission meeting, and anti-whaling nations want to turn that around.

Tuvalu has voted with the pro-whaling nations in the past, but Mr Carter hopes he can persuade it to abstain on some critical issues.

He says New Zealand can never compete with Japan in terms of the amount of cash it can offer to Pacific nations, but it can offer conservation expertise and help promote eco-tourism opportunities around whaling.

Mr Carter says the Ministry will be providing 112,000 US dollars to Tuvalu to carry out a survey of whale and dolphin numbers in its waters.