Ocean conservation is a subject in which I have a keen interest. I can say that this thread doesn't really surprise me. This is not the first time that Switzerland has used its voting rights in organisations that decide matters of the ocean to side with the "underdog". Most people could not be blamed for being baffled by this - after all Switzerland has no ocean.

Why does it do this? I can only make two guesses (someone please correct me if I have missed something here)

1. Siding with a country with an unpopular opinion (e.g. Japan or Norway on the issue of whaling) might be a way to gain favour from that country in return for that country supporting Switzerland on another issue (e.g. political horse trading).

2. Where there is a matter of more direct national interest - for example if a Swiss company were supplying something to a company or industry which might be affected by the issue, for example (purely hypothetical!!) if they were supplying harpoons to shoot the whales they might be keen to protect their customers' ability to use (and therefore buy) the harpoons.

I recall a case a while back where Switzerland opposed the protection of an endangered species of seal. I was puzzled about it and did some research on it. Turns out that a couple of these seals exist in a children's zoo in Rapperswil. Would that really be enough of a reason to oppose such a move?

The mind boggles sometimes...