The 59th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which convened from 28-31 May 2007 in Anchorage, Alaska, US, has renewed for five years the following catch limits for aboriginal subsistence whaling: up to 280 bowhead whales, with no more than 67 whales in any year, of the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas Stock, taken by native people of Alaska and Chukotka; a total of 620 Eastern North Pacific gray whales, with a maximum of 140 in any one year, taken by those whose “traditional, aboriginal and subsistence needs have been recognized;” and 20 Humpback whales taken by St.

Vincent and The Grenadines for the seasons 2008-2012. Members also negotiated the issue of Greenlandic fisheries, and proposed catch limits for 2008-2012 were adopted on the final day of the meeting by 41 votes in favor, 11 against and 16 abstentions: 19 West Greenland fin whales per year; 200 West Greenland common minke whales per year, with annual review by the Scientific Committee; 2 West Greenland bowhead whales per year, with annual review by the Scientific Committee; and 12 East Greenland common minke whales per year. Greenland was thus allowed to expand its indigenous whale hunting following their agreement to give up a proposed new hunt quota of 10 humpback whales. A Japanese proposal to allow a catch for its four small-type coastal whaling communities (Abashiri, Ayukawa, Wadaura and Taiji) was not put to a vote as it clearly lacked the required majority, following which Joji Morishita, Japan’s deputy whaling commissioner, questioned whether Japan would continue to participate in the IWC.
A heated debate was held on the issue of special permit or scientific whaling, with strong statements made both for and against. The Commission passed a resolution asking Japan to refrain from issuing a permit for the second phase of its special permit research in the Antarctic (JARPA II), by 40 votes in favor, 2 against and 1 abstention. Twenty-seven countries decided not to participate in the vote as they believed that the submission of the proposal was not conducive to building bridges within the Commission.
A Brazilian proposal to establish a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary was defeated because, with 39 votes in favor, 29 against and 3 abstentions, it did not get the required three-quarters majority. A resolution on the relationship with the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), requesting CITES parties not to seek the transfer of cetacean species from CITES Appendix I while the moratorium remains in place, was passed by 37 votes in favor and 4 against with 4 abstentions. Twenty-six countries did not participate in the vote because they believed the resolution was inappropriate.
The Commission also passed a resolution on safety issues at sea by consensus; adopted a resolution on small cetaceans; reviewed and agreed the Workplan of the Scientific Committee for the coming year and adopted its report; and endorsed the Report of the Conservation Committee. A resolution on the non-lethal use of whales was adopted by 42 votes in favor, 2 against and 2 abstentions, while 20 countries did not participate in the vote because they felt that with more time, a consensus resolution could have been developed.
Links to further information
IWC press releases
Reuters News Service, 30 May 2007
Reuters News Service, 30 May 2007
Reuters News Service, 31 May 2007
Reuters News Service, 1 June 2007
Reuters News Service, 1 June 2007
Reuters News Service, 1 June 2007