BRIEFS. national

Environmentalists oppose whale hunting

Panamanian environmentalists are organizing to take new action to promote whale watching and to thwart Japanese plans to hunt down 1,000 whales by 2008.

Members of the Foro de la Sociedad Civil Ambiental (FSOCIAM) met yesterday night to discuss and coordinate their plans. They are expected to demonstrate in front of the Japanese embassy in Panama.

"Whale watching can bring up to $100 million in revenues [to Panama]," FSOCIAM's coordinator Gabriel Despaigne said. "These same actions will be taken around the world as Japanese whalers depart for Antarctica on January 6," he added.