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A minke whale killed as part of Iceland's "scientific" whaling
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The mounting pressure by whaling nations to lift the ban on commercial whaling and to revitalize the whaling industry will be evident at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting this month. Countries such as Japan, Iceland, and Norway want to resurrect a dying industry even though there is little consumer demand for whale products. Last year, pro-whaling nations barely mustered enough support to adopt a resolution declaring the moratorium no longer necessary. In order to achieve this slight pro-whaling majority, Japan had to invest heavily in recruiting nations that would support their efforts to lift the moratorium.
This meeting is pivotal for whales, and it provides an opportunity to reverse the current trend towards pro-whaling within the IWC. If conservation oriented countries have a simple majority, crucial whale protection issues can be addressed.
Highlights of IWC59:
1. "Small Type Coastal Whaling"
2. Aboriginal Whaling and the Bowhead Whale Dilemma
3. Greenland Targets Humpback Whales
4. The IWC and CITES' Relationship
5. Iceland's Commercial Whaling
6. Increasing Numbers and Species of Whales Killed by Japan
7. Conservation Initiatives
1. "Small Type Coastal Whaling"
In an effort to open commercial whaling, Japan has again introduced a type of whaling, referred to as small type coastal whaling. While this subject has arisen every year for the past 20 years, the IWC has always rejected it because it is simply small scale commercial whaling in coastal waters and is not carried out for cultural or subsistence reasons.
Approving Japan's coastal commercial whaling program would require a full or partial repealing of the moratorium. Whaling nations could then claim that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) can no longer defer to the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling to prohibit international trade in whale products and CITES should permit the resumption of trade.
"Small type coastal whaling" could also devastate species in Japan's coastal waters. Species who use this habitat are extremely vulnerable to harm from human activity, and environmental threats to whales are greatest in coastal waters. Since Japan already has the largest unsustainable and unregulated commercial slaughter of small cetaceans in its coasts, it is doubtful that they would regulate coastal whaling any better.
2. Aboriginal Whaling and the Bowhead Whale Dilemma
Aboriginal whaling is carried out by communities who hunt for subsistence purposes, which requires them to use the whale products for their survival, not for commercial purposes. Aboriginal whaling quotas must be approved by a 3/4 majority vote at an IWC meeting and are currently approved for communities in these countries:
- Denmark (Greenland, fin and minke whales)
- The Russian Federation (Siberia, gray and bowhead whales)
- St. Vincent and The Grenadines (Bequia, humpback whales)
- The USA (Alaska, bowhead and gray whales).
In an attempt to secure their so-called small type coastal whaling, Japan is attempting to rename aboriginal whaling as traditional or cultural whaling. This would dramatically alter the definition to permit whaling by communities who will use the whale products for commercial purposes.
At the IWC meeting in 2002, Japan and its allies withheld support for the United States' request for a bowhead quota until the U.S. voted in favor of Japan's plan for small type coastal whaling at a subsequent meeting. This was contrary to all of the U.S.'s previous votes on this issue, and therefore, raised concerns that a deal had been struck. Although Japan has stated that they will not block the bowhead quota this year, they have not denied that they may instruct other pro-whaling nations, or nations that Japan gives large amounts of aid to, to block it unless the U.S supports coastal commercial whaling.
3. Greenland Targets Humpback Whales
As part of its aboriginal quota, Greenland plans to ask the IWC for 10 humpback whales in addition to 187 minkes and 10 fin whales. Hunting this many whales would produce approximately 650 tons of whale products in one year, almost 200 tons more than Greenland has produced over the last five years. This brings into question whether communities truly need whaling to survive and if the products are strictly being used for subsistence purposes.
Humpback whales are valuable to the whale watching industry. They dazzle onlookers with their jumps and tail slapping. They are also known for their curiosity and "friendliness," which leads them to approach boats.
Denmark represents Greenland at IWC meetings. Denmark’s support of Greenland’s whaling puts it at odds with the rest of the European Union’s conservation stance.
4. The IWC and CITES' Relationship
The IWC works in cooperation with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In response to the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling, CITES put all "great" whale species on Appendix I, which prohibits international trade in their products. Lately, Japan, Iceland, and Norway, unhappy with decisions made at the IWC, have been trying to move control of the management of whales to CITES, thereby undermining the authority of the IWC and severing the cooperative relationship between the two bodies.
If small type coastal whaling is permitted, commercial whaling will no longer be banned by the IWC and pro-whaling countries could attempt to remove whales from Appendix I, opening trade in whale products. If the whales are downgraded to Appendix II, then whaling nations will seek to commence full-scale commercial whaling under the auspices of CITES.
Further, Japan has submitted a proposal at CITES that if passed, will undermine the IWC, waste limited resources, and be a significant step towards opening up commercial whaling. If Japan's proposal is adopted, the proposed draft decision would direct the CITES Animals Committee to review the current CITES listing status of all cetaceans covered by the IWC moratorium to assess whether each of these species satisfies the biological and trade listing requirements for listing under Appendix I.
5. Iceland's Commercial Whaling
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Distaste for Whaling is Growing in Iceland |
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 Public opinion in Iceland is turning against whaling. In September 2006, a poll showed that only 11.5% of those polled were against whaling. However, following the resumption of commercial whaling in October 2006, a February 2007 poll showed that 40% of the public were dissatisfied with their government’s decision on whaling.
On March 29th, at the annual meeting of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association, a resolution was passed calling on the government to end all future plans for whaling.
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Not only did Iceland defy the moratorium on commercial whaling in 2006, it did so without considering the welfare of the whales. Iceland does not have legislation to protect welfare or require the reporting of information relating to the welfare of the whales targeted such as how much time after being hit the whales take to die. It has never provided any data to the IWC on times to death of whales killed during its hunts. Additionally, Iceland is using the same exploding harpoons designed to kill minke whales to hunt the significantly larger fin whales.
Iceland was able to resume commercial whaling because it rejoined the IWC with a reservation to the moratorium. This controversial and legally problematic move allowed Iceland to skirt its international obligations. Iceland was a member to the IWC when the moratorium was passed in 1982. It did not formally object to it, and therefore, it became bound by the ban. However, unhappy with the inability to resume commercial whaling Iceland simply quit and came back as a new member taking a reservation to the moratorium, and thereby not being bound by it. It began "scientific whaling" soon after rejoining the IWC and commenced commercial whaling in 2006.
To read more about Iceland's whaling, click here.
6. Increasing Numbers and Species of Whales Killed by Japan
Even though its lethal research has been condemned by the IWC since its so-called scientific whaling started in 1987, Japan kills increasing numbers and species of whales than ever before. Over the last ten years, Japan has more than doubled the number of whales it kills annually and increased the number of species five-fold.
This December Japan will begin killing the iconic humpback whale. These endangered whales captivate whale watchers with their acrobatic maneuvers and their willingness to approach boats.
Whalers hunt using exploding harpoons, which are inherently inhumane devices that inflict even greater suffering when an insufficient size is used. Japan plans to use the same harpoons that it uses to kill minke whales on humpback whales, animals that are over ten times heavier.
7. If Conservation Countries are the Majority
If conservation oriented countries are the majority at the upcoming meeting, the IWC can concentrate on advancing protections for whales instead of defending the moratorium. Among the possible conservation initiatives are:
- A condemnation of Iceland's resumption of commercial whaling
- A call for increased transparency on whale welfare information
- A discussion on ways that killing whales can be made more humane
- A message to CITES not to allow trade in whale products
- A statement on the importance of non-governmental organization participation
- A discussion on closing the loophole that allows the unnecessary killing of whales for research purposes
- A resolution urging Japan to end its scientific whaling program
It is time for nations to respect the ban on commercial whaling.
Posted May 24, 2007
