City News

Birmingham schoolchildren will get a chance to air their views on the controversial whaling industry at a unique conference to be held at Alton Towers in November.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society has teamed up with the UK network of Sea Life centres to organise a Junior Whale Conference.

A delegation of four pupils and one teacher from a Birmingham secondary school will join 12 other delegations from around the UK at Alton Towers for the two-day conference on Nov 11 and 12.

“There is growing pressure from some of the whaling nations to lift the international ban on whaling,” said Sea Life spokesman Mark Oakley.

“Governments met recently in Madeira to debate the issue at the International Whaling Commission but we wanted to give children a chance to express their views.”

The opportunity is open to school classes in the 13-15 age group, and each one selected will be assigned a research project to look into the same scientific factors debated at the IWC.

The Birmingham delegation will get help from marine experts at the city’s National Sea Life Centre.

“We’ll be asking them to investigate topics ranging from so-called ‘scientific whaling’ to noise pollution, the life history of whales and whether whale-watching could be good for whale conservation,” said Mark.

The delegations to Alton Towers will present their findings before being helped by WDCS’s International Science Director Mark Simmonds to debate the issues and put forward their own resolutions to be voted on by everyone attending.

As well as being a convenient central location, Alton Towers will provide delegates with the opportunity to visit the latest UK Sea Life attraction ‘Sharkbait Reef’ which opened at the theme park this Easter.

School classes can apply to take part by answering the question: “Why do whales deserve our protection?” in no more than 50 words, and sending answers in to – Whale Conference, WDCS, Brookfield House, 38 St Paul Street, Chippenham SN15 1LJ, or by e-mail to education@wdcs.org.

The closing date is Monday, July 20th and chosen schools will be notified no later than Friday, September 18th.

The 32-strong network of Sea Life attractions is supporting a WDCS anti-whaling postcard campaign, targeting the countries seen as most likely to support calls by Japan and others for whaling to be legalised again.