20. Observer Scheme (1962)

20. Observer Scheme

(from "Chairman's Report of the Fourteenth Meeting")

At their Thirteenth Meeting the Commission had requested that the five Antarctic pelagic whaling countries should meet together to work out the details of an International Observer Scheme as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the fact that all five Antarctic pelagic whaling countries were not members of the Commission until the Netherlands rejoined on 4th May, 1962, prevented this being done. A meeting was therefore arranged during the course of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Commission. It consisted of all the Commissioners of the Antarctic pelagic whaling countries under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner for Australia Mr. J.V. Moroney. The meeting had three sessions and proposals for an Observer Scheme were submitted in documentary form by the Commissioners for the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. These gave rise to considerable discussion and it was therefore decided to continue them at a meeting of the five Antarctic pelagic whaling countries which it was hoped would be arranged by the Secretary for the week beginning 27th August. In these circumstances the Commission took no action on a detailed proposal submitted by Norway under item 18 of the Agenda.