(from "Chair's Report of the Fifty-Third Annual Meeting")
'Notwithstanding the other provisions of paragraph 10 and those of paragraph 12, the taking of 50 minke whales from the Okhotsk Sea-West Pacific stock of the North Pacific is permitted from the 2001 season in order to alleviate the hardship in the four community-based whaling communities of Japan. This provision shall remain in effect until such take is permitted by some other means under the Convention.'
Japan urged the Commission to support this proposed Schedule amendment for the following reasons: (1) it has thoroughly documented the socio-economic, cultural, religious and dietary needs of these four communities and the distress caused to them by not allowing any takes of minke whales; (2) IWC has repeatedly acknowledged this distress via a number of Resolutions including Resolution 2000-1 adopted at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Commission; (3) member countries have made an international commitment to the principle of sustainable use of natural resources, and more particularly to the mandate of the ICRW itself for not only the conservation of whale stocks but also the orderly development of the whaling industry; (4) the international community has agreed in several fora to the need to respect different cultures; and (5) the IWC has no conservation reason to reject Japan's request since the North Pacific minke whale stock is healthy.
10.2 Commission discussions and action arising
The Republic of Korea, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Morocco, the Republic
of China, Denmark, Norway, the Russian Federation, Antigua and Barbuda, St.
Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia all spoke in support of Japan's proposed
Schedule amendment.
St. Vincent and The Grenadines urged the Commission to be more understanding
of small island developing states and countries with large coastlines who
depend heavily on resources from their surrounding waters.
St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia agreed.
Norway, while not generally in favour of creating an increased number of
whaling categories, considered that in view of the cultural aspect of the
proposal, Japan's request could be accommodated within the concept of
aboriginal subsistence whaling.
Norway further noted, as in previous years, that it is the failure of the
Commission to adopt the RMS that leads to a situation where people who would
have otherwise been able to conduct legitimate commercial whaling are
prevented from doing so.
Australia, the USA and New Zealand spoke against the proposed Schedule
amendment since it would be an exception to the moratorium and therefore would
not be in line with the current Schedule.
On proceeding to a vote, there were 15 votes in favour of the proposed Schedule amendment, 20 against and 2 abstentions. The proposed amendment was therefore not adopted. Iceland noted that it supported the proposal.
RESOLUTION ON JAPANESE COMMUNITY-BASED WHALING
The Resolution proposed by Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, the
Republic of Guinea, Japan, Norway, Panama, Russian Federation, Solomon
Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St.Lucia and St. Vincent and The Grenadines
reaffirming the Commission's commitment to work expeditiously to alleviate the
distress caused by the cessation of minke whaling to the four coastal Japanese
communities proceeded straight to a vote since it was similar to Resolutions
put before the Commission in previous years.
As there were 20 votes in favour, 14 against and 3 abstentions, the Resolution
on Japanese Community-Based Whaling was adopted (Resolution 2001-6, Appendix
2).
Iceland noted that it supported the Resolution.
St.Vincent and The Grenadines drew attention to the fact that the same Resolution had been adopted last year, and expressed disappointment that no progress had been made. Switzerland noted that it considered this matter to be directly related to the completion of the RMS and viewed it in that light.
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