WHALE OF A MEETING
 | The International Whaling Commission recently held its yearly meeting in St. Kitts and Nevis. There was much anticipation and controversy surrounding the gathering and expected votes on a number of important issues. Secret Voting: Once again, a motion was made to allow secret ballots on IWC proposals. This is important because promoters of whaling feel that some members may be influenced by public opinion against whaling, and those with tourism industries would fear a backlash against them. |
On the anti-whaling side, members worry that secret voting would allow back-room deals that would permit more killing of whales, with pro-whalers then able to vote without regard to public opinion.
Result: Secret voting was defeated 33 to 30 with one abstention.
Sanctuaries: Brazil and Argentina proposed a South Atlantic Sanctuary. Major IWC proposals require a three-quarters majority to be adopted. Result: Never went to vote.
Japan once again proposed to abolish the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. Result: Defeated, 28 votes to 33 with 4 abstentions (would have required three-quarters majority to succeed)
Special Permit Whaling: he Commission then turned its attention to the question of special permit whaling. Last year, Japan began the first year of a two-year feasibility study for a research programme in the Antarctic. Under the lethal component of the programme, 853 Antarctic minke whales and 10 fin whales were caught. Japan also has a North Pacific programme under which a total of 220 common minke, 50 Bryde's, 100 sei and 5 sperm whales were caught. As part of its programme, Iceland took 39 common minke whales.
Commission review
There was considerable disagreement over the value of this research within the Commission. A Resolution was passed (30 votes to 27 votes with 1 abstention) that strongly urged the Government of Japan to withdraw its JARPA II proposal or to revise it so that any information needed to meet the stated objectives of the proposal is obtained using non-lethal means. Japan withdrew a proposed resolution in favour of the research programmes.
Link to the International Whaling Commission's reports and press releases regarding its recent meeting on St. Kitts
www.iwcoffice.org/meetings/meeting2006.htm
Number of whales taken under IWC "objection"
www.iwcoffice.org/_documents/table_objection.htm
Complete list of IWC member countries
www.iwcoffice.org/commission/members.htm
