Table of Contents
- The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is an international body set up by the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), which was signed inWashington, D.C., United States, on December 2, 1946
- “provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry”.
- The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review and revise as necessary the measures laid down in the Schedule to the Convention which govern the conduct of whaling throughout the world.
- These measures, among other things, provide for the complete protection of certain species; designate specified 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.
1982 moratorium
- The 1970s saw the beginning of the global anti-whaling movement. In 1972 the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment at Stockholm adopted a proposal that recommended a ten-year moratorium on commercial whaling to allow whale stocks to recover
- The reports of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in 1977 and 1981 identified many species of whales as being in danger of extinction.
- At the same time, a number of non-whaling and anti-whaling states began to join the IWC and eventually gained a majority over the whaling nations.
- Some countries who were previously major whaling forces, like the United States, became strong proponents of the antiwhaling cause. These nations called for the IWC to reform its policies and to incorporate newly discovered scientific data regarding whales in its proposed regulations
- On 23 July 1982, members of the IWC voted to implement a pause on commercial whaling.
- catch limits for the killing for commercial purposes of whales from all stocks for the 1986 coastal and the 1985/86 seasons and thereafter shall be zero.
- This provision will be kept under review, based upon the best scientific advice, and by 1990 at the latest the Commission will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the effects of this decision on whale stocks and consider modification of this provision and the establishment of other catch limits
2018 Florianopolis Declaration
- On 13 September 2018, IWC members gathered in Florianopolis, Brazil, where they discussed and rejected a proposal by Japan to renew commercial whaling.
- Through the “Florianopolis Declaration”, it was concluded that the purpose of the IWC is the conservation of whales and that they would now safeguard the marine mammals in perpetuity and would allow the recovery of all whale populations to pre-industrial whaling levels.The non-binding agreement was backed by 40 countries, with 27 pro-whaling states voting against.
- Under this resolution, limited hunts by some indigenous communities are still permitted.
- On 26 December 2018, Japan announced that since the IWC failed its duty to promote sustainable hunting, which is one of its stated goals, Japan is withdrawing its membership.
- Japanese officials also announced they will resume commercial hunting within its territorial waters and its 200- mile exclusive economic zones starting in July 2019, but it will cease whaling activities in the Antarctic Ocean, the northwest Pacific ocean, and the Australian Whale Sanctuary.
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