Based on report of this program, which was submitted to IWC Scientific Committee as a document SC/12/O12 , Japanese cetologist Dr. Ohsumi made comments on validity on a Japanese site .
This is brief summary of his comments which is based on comparison of outcome of AWE with that of Japanese research program JARPA in 2004/05 season, carried out in the same area.
In AWE program, research vessel Tangaroa and two small boats were used. When whales were found during research cruise, two small boats were dropped onto the sea to perform several non-lethal studies.
Comparing wit 92 days of research period of JARPA program, that of AWE was only 29 days, of which, small boats were used only 14 days. In addition, number of days that both of boats were used was only 5.
Study of whales' diet
Regarding sampling of whales' feces, it is listed as important research item in "Non-lethal research techniques for studying whales" of Australian government. However it looks sampling was not successful since no result in this regard is found in the report.
Dr. Ohsumi additionally points out several factors about why sampling of whales' feces is not valid methodology.
Although, research vessel Tangaroa did sighting survey of whales, it did not adopt "Line transect" method, and also Tangaroa moved back to the same area again and repeated the sighting survey there. Therefore, sighing data by AWE program is not suitable for population estimation since same whales may had been counted twice.
Although Biopsy samples were obtained from 64 humpback whales and 1 fin whale, it could not be obtained from abundant Minke whales even though number of Minke whales found were as many as that of humpback whales.
On the other hand in JARPA program in 2004/05 season, Biopsy samples were obtained from 38 humpback whales, 2 fin whales, 1 Southern Right whale, and 440 Minke whales were hunted.
In AWE program, natural tagging was done to 61 humpback whales but nothing is reported about natural tagging of other whales. On the other hand, in 2004/05 JARPA program, tagging was done to 62 humpback whales, 5 Blue whales, 3 Southern Right whales.
In AWE, 30 satellite tag was were attached to humpback whales, of which 9 satellite tags could transmit signals, and only one of them worked after 84 days. It can be a problem that satellite tagging was not successful to other whale species.
Research cost
Judging from several materials available, it is estimated that total expenditure for the AWE program was about 609 million Yen. On the other hand, Japanese government's subsidy for 2004/05 JARPA program was about 360 million Yen.
By producing 1,895 tons of byproduct, it could provide Japanese people with those products and keep dietary culture.
Although AWE program spent about 1.7 times of money than Japanese program, research results obtained was quite poor. In case of Japanese research, both government subsidy and income of selling whale meat, which offsets research expenditure, enables larger scale research and sale of whale meat contributes to Japanese public.
Other points
Since Tangaroa is a large research vessel, and is not specially designed for sighting survey like Japanese Sighting Vessels (SV), it is not suitable to find whales. Also, since two small boats are carried on board, it takes time to deploy them onto the sea upon finding of whales and they may lose sight of whales during preparation.
In order to carry out non-lethal research in snell environment in Antarctic Sea, what are required is research vessel which can navigate fast, with crow's nest on high mast and turning characteristics. Also another ship which can supply fuel and foods to research vessel is needed.
In order to collect the same scale and quality of data as that of JARPA by only non-lethal research, huge amount of money need to be required. In a situation that JARPA program is no longer carried out in Antarctic Sea, it is quite unlikely that anti-whaling nations spend such amount of money for whale research.
Therefore combination of lethal and non-lethal research as done by JARPA program is realistic and effective way of whale stock research in Antarctic Sea.
_