2003 ANNUAL MEETING
Berlin, Germany
The 55th Annual Meeting took
place during the week of the 16th June 2003. The associated meetings of the
Scientific Committee and Commission Committees and
Working Groups were held at the same venue in the
period 24 May -13 June 2003. All meetings were held in the
Estrel Hotel and Convention Centre, Berlin under the
Chairmanship of Prof. Bo Fernholm (Sweden).
Delegates thanked the
Government of Germany for the excellent facilities
provided.
Revised Management Scheme
Although the Commission has
accepted and endorsed the Revised Management
Procedure (RMP) for commercial whaling, it has noted
that work on a number of issues, including
specification of an inspection and observer system
must be completed (called the Revised Management
Scheme) before the Commission will consider
establishing catch limits other than zero. This work
is ongoing and the Commission agreed to establish an
intersessional group of Commissioners under the new
Chair to explore ways to take the RMS forward.
SANCTUARIES
Proposals for sanctuaries in the South Pacific
(24 votes for, 17 against and 4 abstentions) and
South Atlantic (24 votes for, 19 against and 3
abstentions) failed to gain the necessary three-
quarters majorities to be adopted. Similarly a
proposal to change the provision for the Southern
Ocean Sanctuary was not adopted (17 votes for, 26
against and 2 abstentions).
Catch limits for commercial
whaling
In 1982, the Commission took a
decision, which came into force from the 1986 and
1985/86 seasons, that catch limits for all
commercial whaling would be set to zero.
Norway has lodged objections to
the ban and has exercised its right to set national
catch limits for its coastal whaling operations for
minke whales. The Commission did not adopt a
proposal by Japan for catch limits of 150 minke
whales (19 votes for, 26 against and 1 abstentions)
and 150 Bryde's whales (17 for, 27 against, 1
abstention) to be taken by coastal community-based
whaling.
Catch limits for aboriginal
subsistence whaling
The Scientific Committee has
continued to make progress towards developing new
management regimes for aboriginal subsistence
whaling; this work has been given high priority by
the Commission. Last year, the Commission endorsed
and adopted a new long-term scientific approach to
providing advice on strike limits for bowhead
whales. The Scientific Committee is working to
produce similar methods for the other whales stocks
subject to aboriginal subsistence whaling.
The present catch limits are in
force for aboriginal subsistence whaling:
Bowhead whales (taken by
Alaskan Eskimos and native people of Chukotka) - up
to 280 whales may be landed in the period 2003 -
2007, with no more than 67 whales struck in any year
(and up to 15 unused strikes may be carried over
each year).
Eastern North Pacific gray
whales (taken by those whose "traditional,
aboriginal and subsistence needs have been
recognised") - A total catch of 620 whales is
allowed for the years 2003 - 2006 with a maximum of
140 in any one year.
West Greenland fin whales
(taken by Greenlanders) - An annual catch of 19
whales is allowed for the years 2003 - 2006.
West Greenland minke whales
(taken by Greenlanders) - The annual number of
whales struck for the years 2003-2006, shall not
exceed 175 (up to 15 unused strikes may be carried
over each year).
East Greenland minke whales
(taken by Greenlanders) - An annual catch of 12
whales is allowed for the years 2003 - 2006 (up to 3
unused strikes may be carried over each year).
Humpback whales (taken by St
Vincent and The Grenadines) - For the seasons
2003-2007 the number of humpback whales to be taken
by the Bequians of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
shall not exceed 20. The meat and products of such
whales are to be used exclusively for local
consumption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Such
whaling must be conducted under formal legislation.
The taking of calves or females
accompanied by calves is forbidden.
Status of whales
Despite a long period of
protection, several populations of great whales
remain highly endangered and number 500 or less.
These include all bowhead whale stocks apart from
the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas stock that numbers
over 10,000; gray whales in the western Pacific
(those in the eastern Pacific, by contrast, number
over 17,000); all stocks of northern right whales;
and various stocks of blue whales. Some of these
small Arctic bowhead populations are subjected to
direct catches outside IWC regulations (a bowhead
was taken in 2002 by Canadian Eskimos), or are
killed by ship strikes or are bycaught in fishing
gear. The Commission has attached great importance
to trying to improve the survivorship of these
stocks.
Scientific Permits
Two proposed permits by Japan
were considered. One is an extension of its
continuing programme in the Southern Hemisphere (now
400±10% minke whales from the Antarctic). The second
is for a long-term research programme primarily
aimed at feeding ecology in the context of
contributing to the ‘conservation and sustainable
use of marine living resources in the western North
Pacific, especially within Japan’s EEZ.’ The
programme proposes the taking of 150 minke whales,
50 Bryde’s whales, 50 sei whales and 10 sperm whales
in the western North Pacific. A proposed permit by
Iceland, primarily for feeding ecology studies for
100 common minke whales, 100 fin whales and 50 sei
whales in each of two years was also presented.
Again, different views on the value of this research
were expressed in the Scientific Committee. The
Commission passed a Resolution urging countries to
terminate or not to commence special permit catches
(24 in favour, 21 against and 1 abstention). It also
passed a Resolution asking Japan not to continue its
special permit catches of Antarctic minke whales (
24 in favour, 21 against, 1 abstention).
Whale killing methods and
associated welfare issues
In 1998, the Commission passed
a Resolution that encouraged nations to supply
relevant data on killing times and related issues in
future years and also to provide technical
assistance to reduce time to unconsciousness and
death in aboriginal subsistence fisheries. This
year, the Commission held a successful expert
Workshop and adopted a revised action plan.
For the Chair's summary of the
workshop, click here.
Conservation Committee
The Commission passed a
Resolution (25 in favour, 20 against and 1
abstention) to establish a Conservation Committee,
comprising of all members of the Commission, whose
functions are:
- The preparation and
recommendation to the Commission of its future
Conservation Agenda;
- The implementation of those
items in the Agenda that the Commission may refer to
it;
- Making recommendations to the Commission
in order to maintain and update the Conservation
Agenda on a continuing basis.
Small Cetaceans
Notwithstanding the different
views of member countries over the legal competence
of the IWC to manage small cetaceans, many
Contracting Governments continue to co-operate in
the consideration of small cetacean issues,
particularly with respect to the work of the
Scientific Committee.
Financial contributions
Again, during this year, the
Commission-appointed Task Force worked
intersessionally to develop a more equitable scheme
for financial contributions. Specifically, this
scheme should reduce the financial burden of
membership of small developing countries. At the
Meeting, the Task Force reported that it had made
good progress but had not yet been able to produce a
fully-developed scheme. The Commission directed the
Task Force to try to complete its work by the next
Annual Meeting in 2004. Last year, the Commission
adopted an interim scheme which gives a substantial
amount of relief to a number of member governments.
Interpretation
The Commission adopted a Resolution to establish
a Working Group aiming at exploring the various
implications for the provision of technical
components for simultaneous interpretation.
New officers
The Commission extended warm
thanks to Prof. Bo Fernholm, who completed his
3-year term as Chair of the Commission. He was
succeeded by the previous vice-chair, Comm. Henrik
Fischer (Denmark). Carlos Dominguez Diaz (Spain) was
elected as the new vice-chair.
Farewell
Finally, the meeting rose in
tribute to Martin Harvey, who is leaving the
Secretariat after 27 years as its Executive Officer.
Martin's calmness, efficiency, fairness and good
humour are legendary and the Commission will miss
him sorely.
Future Meetings
The 2004 meetings will take
place in June/July in Italy. The 2005 meetings will
take place in Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
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