Buying Whales to Save Them

Current policy approaches to manage whaling and protect whales are failing. It is time to try a new approach that combines economic pragmatism and ethical principles. The whale shares idea was first proposed in the January 12, 2012, issue of Nature. The concept was intended to attempt to deal with what many conservationists view as a significant policy failure in international whale management. The debate has proved resilient to settlement. Even attempts to broaden the instrumentalist model beyond narrow economic criteria have not mollified critics, who still argue that conservation should be motivated by aesthetic values and a sense of moral duty, rather than by economic considerations. The debate has proved resilient to settlement. Even attempts to broaden the instrumentalist model beyond narrow economic criteria have not mollified critics, who still argue that conservation should be motivated by aesthetic values and a sense of moral duty, rather than by economic considerations.