IWC LOSING CONTROL OVER WHALING: Norway and Japan's continued use of "loopholes" to evade an international ban on commercial whaling, has the International Whaling Commission (IWC) worried that it "must reassert its power over the industry or risk losing control altogether" says Reuters 6/12. According to the IWC secretary, since 1986 when commercial whaling was banned, the IWC has just talked about "what to do next" and now "its time to get our act together" and take action.

SENATORS URGE END TO WHALE OVERKILL: A bipartisan coalition of 24 U.S. Senators has criticized Japan for its "continued defiance of a worldwide moratorium on whaling" and urged the administration to oppose Japan's "latest plan to increase whale kills" say GREEN sources 6/13. The letter organized by CT Senator Joe Lieberman, comes as the International Whaling Commission (IWC) prepares to meet in early July.

ACT LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY TO SAVE OUR SALMON: A report from a watchdog group appointed by the Canadian government to monitor implementation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty "challenges Northwesterners to come to grips with how global conditions may do lasting harm" to the salmon says the Seattle Post-Intelligencer 6/19. The report looks at global warming and the potentially devastating affects on "the perilous state" of salmon and recovery efforts while criticizing those who demand "absolute scientific certainty" before acting. In conclusion, the report finds that "the great salmon runs will survive only by acting locally and globally."

PRAIRIE DOG HUNT BELIES DENIAL OF PROTECTION: A recent contest where monetary prizes are awarded for most black tailed prairie dogs killed saw almost 5,000 "shot in six hours" says AP 6/18. Conservationists from the Predator Conservation Alliance contend that these "blood sport" hunts, common in parts of the Great Plains, are "causing great harm to the entire prairie dog ecosystem" and show that a recent FWS decision which found ESA protection for the species was "warranted" but not a priority was a big mistake. Efforts by states, such as the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, to develop plans aimed at maintaining "viable" populations are doing very little to stop these hunts(a local bar near the hunt listed 23,895 prairie dogs killed).

DEVELOPERS "FRET" OVER EIDER CRITICAL HABITAT: A FWS proposal to designate critical habitat for the Steller's eider has developers on Alaska's Kodiak Island denouncing the plan's "dire consequences" says AP 6/14. The sea ducks winter around Kodiak Island but breed further north in the Arctic's Yukon Delta and National Petroleum Reserve. The developers are hoping to influence the plan's final designation of critical habitat which is open for public comment until 8/31.