Whale and Dolphin Conservation
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The IWC was set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling which was signed in Washington D.C. on 2 December 1946. Australia was one of the first signatories. The purpose of the Convention is 'to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry'. Over the decades, most members abandoned whaling, but continued to view the IWC as the best forum to provide for the conservation of whales.
The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review the measures laid down in the Schedule to the Convention which governs the conduct of whaling throughout the world. These measures, among other things, completely protect certain species; designate areas as whale sanctuaries; set limits on the numbers and size of whales which may be taken; prescribe open and closed seasons and areas for whaling; and prohibit the capture of suckling calves and female whales accompanied by calves. The IWC also requires catch reports and the compilation of other statistical and biological records.
In addition, the IWC encourages, co-ordinates and funds whale research, publishes the results of this and other scientific research and promotes studies into related matters such as the humaneness of the killing operations.
Membership of the IWC is open to any country in the world that formally adheres to the 1946 Convention. All current financial members are entitled to vote at meetings. Each member country is represented by a Commissioner, who is assisted by experts and advisers. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected from among the Commissioners and usually serve for three years.
The IWC has a full-time Secretariat with headquarters in Cambridge, England. The personnel include the Secretary, Executive Officer, Scientific Editor, Computing Manager and supporting staff.
The Commission holds an annual meeting, usually in May or June. The meeting is held either by invitation in any member country, or in the UK - the Secretariat's base.
The Commission has three main committees: Scientific, Technical, and Finance and Administration. There are also subcommittees which deal with Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling, Infractions (breaking of regulations) and various ad hoc Working Groups. Commissioners may opt for their countries to be represented in any or all of these activities and most choose to do so.
The Scientific Committee meets in the two weeks immediately before the main Commission meeting and it may also hold special meetings during the year to consider particular subjects. The information and advice it provides on the status of the whale stocks form the basis of Commission decisions. These are made as amendments to the Schedule, and require a three-quarters majority of the Commissioners voting. Any changes become effective 90 days later unless a member state lodges an objection, in which case the amendment is not binding on that country. This procedure may be used when a government considers its national interests or sovereignty are unduly affected.
The regulations adopted by the Commission are implemented through the national legislation of the member states - they may appoint inspectors to oversee whaling operations, and/or receive international observers appointed by the IWC, and implement conservation measures.
The International Whaling Commission website has background information on its annual meetings with links to information on recent meetings.
There are many stocks or populations of the thirteen species of 'great whales'. Many of these have been depleted by over-exploitation, some seriously, both in recent times and in earlier centuries.
Whales, like any other animal population, have a natural capacity for increase and a natural rate of mortality. Barring other external factors, a stock remains more or less in equilibrium at its initial level because these two factors balance one another. If the number of whales in a stock is reduced then recruitment increases - possibly as a result of greater food availability, by higher pregnancy rates, earlier maturation, increased survival rates or a combination of these factors. In 1975, the IWC adopted a new management policy for whales that attempted to take into account these characteristics. This aimed to bring all stocks to levels that provided the greatest long-term harvests, by setting catch limits for individual stocks below their sustainable yields.
However, because of uncertainties in the scientific analyses and therefore the precise status of the various whale stocks, in 1982 the IWC decided to impose a moratorium on commercial whaling of all whale stocks from 1985/86. Australia has supported the moratorium, as a first step towards a permanent international ban on commercial whaling.
A Revised Management Procedure was then developed, which the Commission accepted and endorsed in 1994, but has yet to implement. This is intended to balance the somewhat conflicting requirements to ensure that the risk to individual stocks is not seriously increased, while allowing the highest continuing yield.
The moratorium on commercial whaling does not affect aboriginal subsistence whaling, which is carried out from Denmark (Greenland: fin and minke whales), the Russian Federation (Siberia: gray and bowhead whales), St Vincent and the Grenadines (humpback whales), and the USA (Alaska: bowhead and Pacific gray whales).
The IWC sponsors and promotes international research. A major undertaking has been a series of ship surveys of the Antarctic minke whale stocks. Other funded research includes work on new techniques such as acoustic and satellite/radio tracking of whales and genetic analysis of populations.
The Scientific Committee is concentrating on a 'Comprehensive Assessment' of whale stocks, defined as an in-depth evaluation of the status of the stocks in the light of management objectives. It is also beginning work to assess the effects on cetaceans of environmental change such as global warming and pollution, and whale watching activities.
Several member governments have major research programmes, most of which are non-lethal to cetaceans. However, others include the sampling of whales killed under special permits, which the Convention allows them to grant. Australia has consistently joined the majority of IWC members calling on all such 'scientific whaling' to cease, given that non-lethal methods are available.
Australia recognises the needs of some communities for continued access to whaling and whale products to meet traditional, cultural and dietary needs in subsistence cultures under tight controls, and according to the strict criteria set out by the IWC for this type of whaling.
The different nature of aboriginal subsistence whaling compared to commercial whaling is reflected in its objectives:
It is important that this whaling occurs only where these needs are clearly demonstrated, to ensure that aboriginal subsistence whaling is not used as a 'loophole' for commercial whaling.
Under current IWC regulations, aboriginal subsistence whaling is permitted for Denmark (Greenland, fin and minke whales), the Russian Federation (Siberia, gray and bowhead whales), St Vincent and The Grenadines (Bequia, humpback whales) and the USA (Alaska, bowhead and gray whales). It is the responsibility of national governments to provide the Commission with evidence of the cultural and subsistence needs of their people. The Scientific Committee provides scientific advice on safe catch limits for such stocks.
The provisions governing aboriginal subsistence whaling should neither exempt subsistence hunters from IWC scrutiny (on the bases of humaneness and target limits), nor be extended to cater to the commercial interests of non-subsistence cultures.
The Commission has since its inception regulated the catches of the large whale species, but the smaller species of whales, dolphins and porpoises are also members of the same zoological order of Cetacea. Member governments hold different views over the legal competence of the IWC to regulate direct and incidental catches of small cetaceans. However, they are working to promote cooperation between coastal and range states of small cetaceans to conserve and manage those species too.
Visit the IWC website or contact the Secretariat at:
The Red House, 135 Station Road
Impington, Cambridge, UK CB4 9NP
Phone: 44 (0)1223 233971
Fax: 44 (0)1223 232876
Email: iwc@iwcoffice.org
