CHAIR’S SUMMARY REPORT FOR THE 61ST ANNUAL AND ASSOCIATED MEETINGS, MADEIRA, PORTUGAL 2009 The
61st Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) took place at the
Pestana Casino Park Hotel in Funchal, Madeira from 22 to 25 June. It was Chaired by Dr William
Hogarth (US). The associated meetings of the Scientific Committee and Commission sub-groups were held at the same venue in the period
preceding. A brief report of the outcomes of the main agenda items is provided
below.
PRESS RELEASE – DAY 4 – 25 JUNE THURSDAY
On the morning of the last day, the Commission decided to leave open the
decision on catch limits for Greenland (see Day two) until an intersessional
meeting. A small scientific group will look at the question of conversion
factors from tonnes of edible products to the number of whales.
The Commission then returned to its discussions (see Day three) of SORP and many
members congratulated Australia for initiating this ambitious research programme
in the Southern Ocean.
This year, the Scientific Committee had focussed its discussion of
small cetaceans on the common
dolphin. In addition to research recommendations, concern was expressed over
their status in the Mediterranean, off Peru and parts of the northeastern
Atlantic. In discussing progress on previous recommendations extreme concern was
expressed over the status of the critically endangered vaquita. In finalising
its consideration of the Scientific Committee report, the Commission paid great
tribute to the work of its outgoing Chair, Dr Arne Bjørge, whose fairness and
good humour are legendary. The new Chair will be Dr Debra Palka from the USA and
the new Vice-Chair will be Dr Toshihide Kitakado of Japan.
Attention then turned to the
Report of the Conservation Committee. This Committee, in collaboration with
the Scientific Committee, is making good progress on the problem of collisions
between ships and whales. An online
database for reporting collisions is now up and running. The Commission also
discussed Sanctuaries, southern right whales and conservation management plans
and in particular offered support and collaboration with the conservation plan
for the western gray whale being developed under the auspices of IUCN.
After discussing a number of financial and administrative issues including the
establishment of the support group to assist the Chair in discussions of the
Future of the IWC and agreeing that the
next Annual Meeting would be held in Morocco from the end of May into
June, the Commission turned to the election of officers.
The outgoing Chair of the Commission, Dr William Hogarth, received a standing
ovation. Dr Hogarth, now Dean of the College of Marine Science, University of
South Florida, was acknowledged by all for his humour, warmth, fairness and
tireless energy in his work to secure the future of the IWC and its work on the
conservation and management of whales. Considerable work remains but tremendous
strides have been taken in improving the atmosphere within the Commission and
providing a sound basis for negotiations; without his vision this would not have
been possible. Dr Hogarth is succeeded by Ambassador Cristian Maquieira from
Chile. Anthony Liverpool of Antigua and Barbuda is the new Vice-Chair.
PRESS RELEASE – DAY 3 – 24 JUNE WEDNESDAY
This morning discussions began with consideration of sanctuaries. This item, and
in particular the question of a future South Atlantic sanctuary forms part of
the discussions on the Future of the IWC.
While those discussions are continuing, countries favouring new sanctuaries have
agreed not to pursue them at this meeting.
The Commission was then addressed by representatives of six non-governmental
organisations, three broadly against whaling (Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Society, Human Society International and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean
Coalition and three broadly in favour (International Transport Workers
Federation of Japan; Association of Traditional Marine Mammal Hunters of
Chukotka; Te Ohu Kaimoana).
The Commission then proceeded to consider environmental and health issues. It
received the report of a recent Scientific Committee
workshop on climate change and cetaceans. It adopted a
Resolution on this matter on Day 4 by consensus. The Commission also
received reports on a number of other issues such as ecosystem modelling, the
possible Phase II of the IWC’s POLLUTION 2000+ programme, and work on possible
adverse effects on cetaceans of marine renewable energy projects. Details can be
found in the Scientific Committee’s report.
The Commission’s Scientific and
Conservation Committees both consider whalewatching. The Commission had an
extensive discussion of this issue, noting that it is important that the
expanding whalewatching industry around the world is carefully managed so as not
to cause adverse effects on cetaceans. The Commission agreed to form a
Conservation Committee standing working group to prepare a five-year strategic
plan for the management of whalewatching. The group will meet intersessionally.
The next major issue considered was that of
whaling under special permits. The
Commission received
the report of an expert panel that reviewed the ongoing Japanese programme
in the North Pacific (JARPN II). Special permit whaling is one of the major
divisive items within the Commission and consideration of it will form an
important component of the discussions on the
Future of the IWC.
The Commission has on several occasions (for example
HERE) condemned dangerous activity in the Southern Ocean. Progress on
attempts to deal with this were discussed and all members of the Commission who
spoke condemned such behaviour.
Finally the Commission received presentations on, but postponed discussion
of two matters: the Southern Ocean Research Partnership or
SORP; and a revised proposal from Denmark with respect to its aboriginal
subsistence whaling.
PRESS RELEASE – DAY 2 – TUESDAY 23 JUNE
This morning discussions began with consideration of progress with
respect to the Future of the IWC. The
Chair of the Commission reviewed the
process to
date, recognising that the work was not complete and proposing a way forward
that involved an extra year. After some discussion, the Commission adopted the
proposal by consensus. The full text can be seen
HERE. In summary,
the Commission has agreed to extend the time allocated to the Small Working
Group (SWG) on the Future of the IWC until the 62nd Annual Meeting of the
Commission. The SWG will intensify its efforts to conclude a package or
packages by 2010 that should allow the Commission to reach a consensus solution
to the major problems it faces, building upon the concept of a two-phase process
and the progress reported in the
report of the SWG.
The next item of business was the report of the sub-committee on
aboriginal subsistence whaling. It can be found
HERE. The
Scientific Committee’s
discussions of this item were reported to that sub-committee. In 2007,
the Commission established catch limits for aboriginal subsistence whaling
activities in the USA, Russian Federation, Denmark (Greenland) and St. Vincent
and The Grenadines [See HERE].
This year, the Scientific Committee had received new information that enabled it
to provide advice on West Greenland common minke whales for the first time. That
advice was that annual catches of 178 would not harm the stock. The advice from
the Scientific Committee with respect to the other aboriginal subsistence catch
limits was that the present limits will not harm the stocks.
As last year, the primary focus of discussions within the Commission
was the request for a
catch of 10 humpback whales. The Scientific Committee has confirmed that
such catches will not harm the stock. Thus the discussions focussed on whether
Greenland had adequately shown that it ‘needed’ to catch these whales (in the
IWC system, countries representing aboriginal subsistence whaling must
periodically demonstrate their need to catch whales to the Commission). The
Commission received a document and a PowerPoint presentation on behalf of Greenland. A number of
delegations spoke on this issue, discussions are continuing and the item remains
open.
The Committee then received presentations on socio-economic
implications and small-type whaling from communities in Japan and Korea.
The final issue considered by the Commission on Day 2 was the
Revised Management Scheme. The only
activity presently undertaken is the Scientific Committee’s work on the
Revised Management Procedure. This year,
the Committee completed its work on the Implementation for North Atlantic fin
whales. Details can be found in the
Committee’s report. Commission work on the RMS ceased in 2007, when it was
accepted that an impasse had been reached at the Commission level on RMS
discussions. However, the issue has been one of those raised in conjunction with
the discussions on the ‘Future of the IWC’.
PRESS RELEASE – DAY 1 – MONDAY 22 JUNE
Proceedings of the 61st Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission,
held in Funchal, Madeira at the kind invitation of the Government of Portugal
and organised by the Regional Government of Madeira, began today with speeches
of welcome by His Excellency, the President of the Regional Government of
Madeira, Dr. Alberto João Jardim and His Excellency, the Portuguese Minister of
Environment, Spatial Planning and Regional Development, Dr. Francisco Nunes
Correia.
There are three new members to the Commission bringing the total to 85, of
which 71 were present on the first day. The full list of member countries can be
found HERE. The meeting was chaired by
Dr William Hogarth, Chair of the Commission. Dr Hogarth said that he looked
forward to the same level of co-operation and desire for consensus that had
characterised recent meetings including those on the highest priority item,
the future of the IWC. After adopting the
Agenda and a
provisional
timetable for the week’s deliberations, the Commission then turned to the
report of the Scientific Committee which reported on its work related to the
status of a number of large whale populations. Meeting documents can be found
HERE.
The report of the Scientific Committee considered the status of a number of
large whale stocks. New information was received on Antarctic minke whales,
North Pacific common minke whales, Southern Hemisphere humpback whales, Southern
Hemisphere blue whales and a number of other small stocks of bowhead, right and
gray whales. The Committee was particularly pleased to complete its assessment
of Eastern African humpback whales which have recovered to over 65% of their
pre-exploitation size. The Committee also reported positive evidence of
increases in abundance for several other stocks of humpback, blue and right
whales in the Southern Hemisphere, although several remain at reduced levels
compared to their pre-whaling numbers. Information remains lacking for other
stocks.
Special attention was paid to the status of the endangered western North
Pacific gray whale, whose feeding grounds coincide with oil and gas operations
off Sakhalin Island, Russian Federation. The population numbers only about 130
animals. The Committee and the Commission welcomed the results of a ‘range wide
workshop’ undertaken under the auspices of IUCN and endorsed its
recommendations, especially that concerning the development of a conservation
plan. Support was given to a major initiative to obtain information vital to
developing effective mitigation measures via a satellite telemetry programme.
The Commission members agreed to work together to try to mitigate anthropogenic
threats to this endangered population. The Commission also recognised the value
of continuing to co-operate with the
IUCN Western Gray Whale Advisory
Committee.
Ship strikes and entanglements are also a threat to the endangered western
North Atlantic right whale population which numbers around 300. The Commission
agrees again that anthropogenic mortality should be reduced to zero as soon as
possible.
After completing its discussions on this part of the
Scientific Committee report, the
Commission received reports from a number of countries on animal welfare issues
related to whales and whaling. These ranged from information on the most
appropriate methods for euthanasia for stranded animals to information on
killing methods and hunting information from a number of countries. The
Commission will hold a workshop on welfare issues associated with euthanasia and
the entanglement of large whales in Maui, Hawai’i, in April 2010.
The Commission then went on to discuss co-operation with other international
organizations. It sees such co-operation as an important part of its work,
especially in the scientific arena on matters relevant to conservation status of
cetaceans and the management of activities that may affect their status. The
Commission is pleased to announce that it has interim observer status at the
International Maritime Organisation which will allow co-operation on matters
relevant to the conservation of whales.
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