Amid international outcry over&nbsp;Japan's announcement this week that it 

, one whale conservationist says it's actually a "very positive development" for the world's whale populations.

"This move means they will have to withdraw from the southern ocean because they can't do their so-called research whaling, which was bogus anyway," said Paul Watson, founder and executive director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. &nbsp;

Japan to resume commercial whale hunting despite international outcry

Japan will resume commercial whaling in July in its waters while ending its controversial hunts in the Antarctic. Australia and New Zealand welcomed the decision to abandon the Antarctic whale hunt, but expressed disappointment Japan would engage in any killing of ocean mammals.

In this June 21, 2009, photo, Japanese whalers cut a Baird's beaked whale, which was caught some 60 kilometers (38 miles) off the coast, in Wada, southeast of Tokyo. Japan announced Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018, it is leaving the International Whaling Commission to resume hunting the animals for commercial use but said it will no longer go to the Antarctic for its much-criticized annual killings of hundreds of whales. Japan has hunted whales for centuries, but has reduced its catch following international protests and declining demand for whale meat at home. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Japan Whaling

Japanese whalers cut a Baird's beaked whale, which was caught some 60 kilometres off the coast, in Wada, southeast of Tokyo, in 2009.  On Wednesday, Japan announced it will be leaving the International Whaling Commission to resume hunting the animals for commercial use, but said it will no longer go to the Antarctic for its much-criticized annual killings of hundreds of whales.

Japan's controversial decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) comes after decades of tension around its continued whale hunts in the Antarctic and scientific research whaling, carried out despite an international moratorium that began in 1986. &nbsp;

"They're not resuming commercial whaling. They never stopped," said Watson, arguing that now that Japan will restrict its whaling to its own waters and exclusive economic zone, more whales overall will be safe from hunting.

Astrid Fuchs, program lead at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, agrees with Watson — but says the real ramifications for Japan's decision could be political.

Astrid Fuchs, program lead at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, is concerned about the precedent being set by Japan for the International Whaling Commission's remaining 89 member countries.

Astrid Fuchs

"What we're really concerned about is the precedent this is setting," she said.

"We're just very worried that other countries might follow that lead by Japan," said Fuchs, referring to the 89 remaining IWC member countries. "We're also worried because it's unknown how many whales Japan is intending to take."

Japan's commercial whale hunt puts ocean health at risk, says conservationist

Conservationists are worried that Japan's decision to pull out of the International Whaling Commission will inspire other countries to do the same.

epa07249042 A minke whale is lifted from a ship at Kushiro port, Hokkaido, northern Japan, 04 September 2017 (issued 26 December 2018). On 26 December 2018, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga officially announced that Japan will withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and restart commercial whaling for the first time in over 30 years.  EPA-EFE/JIJI PRESS JAPAN OUT * EDITORIAL USE ONLY/  NO ARCHIVES

JAPAN WHALING  IWC

A minke whale is lifted from a ship at Kushiro port, Hokkaido, in northern Japan, in September 2017. Japan officially announced Wednesday that it will withdraw from the International Whaling Commission and restart commercial whaling for the first time in over 30 years. 

To discuss how Japan's decision could ultimately hurt — or help — whale conservation efforts, 

 guest host Piya Chattopadhyay spoke with:

Paul Watson, founder and executive director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Astrid Fuchs, program lead at Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Click the 'listen' button at the top of the page to hear the full story.

Produced by Danielle Carr, Ines Colabrese and Eunice Kim.

Conservationist Paul Watson, pictured with Japan's primary whaling vessel, the Nisshin Maru, says that there's a silver lining to Japan's move to resume commercial whaling. 

Why this conservationist is lauding Japan's return to commercial whaling

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