U.S. Supports Increased Whaling

Monaco, 23 October 1997: At the 49th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC,) the United States and the Russian Federation joined together on a resolution allowing hunting of grey whales by coastal peoples of both countries. 

The IWC is charged by treaty with  the responsibility to, “…provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry” and to make regulations that carry out this objective by providing for “the conservation, development, and optimum utilization of the whale resources.” 

The U.S. delegation renewed its request for Alaskan Natives to take bowhead whales, one of the most endangered species that has been granted by the IWC for several years. After this permission was granted,  the U.S. and Russian Federation presented a joint proposal to permit their coastal communities take a combined total of 124 non-endangered grey whales per year for five years. This was passed by unanimous consensus and will now allow the Makah Indians in the state of Washington, U.S.A. to hunt whales again for the first time in more than seven decades. 

The situation was different when Japan made a similar proposal asking that coastal villages be allowed to take 50 minke whales. Minke whales are one of the species that exists in numbers greater than ever before in the history of the species. Although the IWC Scientific Committee  has said a regulated harvest would have no effect on minke populations, in this case there was no consensus in spite of the fact several delegates spoke strongly in favor for reasons similar to the U.S./Russian Federation resolution. The matter was brought to a formal vote and, although many countries voted in favor, the resolution failed to get the 75% majority necessary for passage. 

Eugene Lapointe, President of  IWMC World Conservation Trust, commented, “The U.S./Russian Federation resolution makes good sense from a cultural, scientific, and sustainable use perspective.  Let us hope that, in the future, all proposals may be fairly considered in this rational matter.” He also added: “But there is progress in the attitude of IWC.  Last year, the same proposal by Japan drew only 8 favorable votes.  This year, 50% of the Commission either supported or did not object to it (12 in favor, 4 abstentions, 16 against).”