APPENDIX A
SPECIAL MEETING OF COMMISSIONERS
OF THE NORTH PACIFIC MEMBER NATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
FEBRUARY 6-10, 1967

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


At the 18th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission, held in London from 27th June to 1st July, 1966, the special group of North Pacific Whaling Commissioners made recommendations concerning the catch of blue, humpback, sei, and sperm whales which were accepted by the Commission. It was agreed that scientific assessment of the fin whale stocks in the North Pacific should continue with a view to bringing the catch below the sustainable yield by 1969. The Commission authorized the chairman of the group (Dr. J.L. McHugh, U.S.A.) to "undertake an exchange of correspondence with a view to the possibility of a future meeting prior to the 1967 whaling season".

By correspondence it was arranged to meet in Washington, D.C., beginning on 6th February, 1967. The following representatives were in attendance:

United States       Canada       U.S.S.R.
J.L. McHugh       W.M. Sprules       M.N. Sukhoruchenko
R. Kellogg       K.R. Allen       V.G. Lafitskiy
S. Blow       G.F.M. Smith       G.V. Zhygalov
            K. Fraser       V.M. Nicolaev
            R. McLaren            
                             
Japan       Rapporteur                  
G. Yamanaka       D.W. Windley                  
T. Ohba                              
M. Takahashi                              

The group met in plenary sessions and in numerous bilateral discussions from 6th February until 10th February. It was agreed that some formula should be found which would provide an equitable method of reducing the total catch of fin whales below the sustainable yield (presently estimated at 1,800 fin whales) by the 1969 whaling season. Various methods of reaching this goal were discussed but it was not possible to find a formula acceptable to all delegations. The delegates agreed to continue discussions as opportunities arise, in the hope that a method of resolving the difficulties may be found by the time of the 19th meeting of the Commission.

Individual delegation statements are attached.


Statement by the United States Delegation
The United States Delegation recognizes the need to bring the catch of fin whales in the North Pacific into line with the scientific findings. We agree with the objective to reduce the fin whale catch below the estimated sustainable yield by the 1969 season. Our catch of fin whales in 1966 was consistent with the "gentlemen's agreement" reached at the 1965 Annual Meeting to attempt to reduce the catch 10 per cent below the 1965 level. We anticipate that we can respond to this "gentlemen's agreement" again in 1967, by holding our fin whale catch 20 per cent or more below the 1965 level.

It is our view that land stations should receive special consideration in arriving at a total quota. Catcher boats from land stations can take only those whales which enter a limited area close to the factory. They cannot follow the whales as pelagic fleets can do. Overfishing of whale resources in the North Pacific has come about through the great expansion of pelagic whaling since 1961.

The United States has no pelagic whaling fleet. Our small land-based operation has been forced through no fault of its own to cease killing blue and humpback whales. As a consequence, whaling in the United States is approaching marginal conditions, as illustrated by the fact that one company suspended operations in 1966. We are close to the point at which further restrictions probably will bring all United States whaling to an end. The United States Delegation is willing to take any reasonable action necessary to prevent an increase in whaling effort and thus to assist in rational management of the resource. It is our view, however, that the pelagic whaling industry, which has been largely responsible for over-exploiting the stocks of blue and humpback whales, and which currently is taking over 90 percent of the total North Pacific fin whale catch, should recognize and undertake the major responsibility for conservation of the resource.


Statement by the Japanese Delegation
1. The Japanese delegation is greatly disappointed that the meeting has failed to produce an agreement for the conservation measures for fin whale stocks in the North Pacific.

2. The Japanese delegation holds the view that pelagic operations affect the resources more adversely than land based operations. Since the condition of fin whale stocks has become serious as a result of enormous increase in catches by pelagic operation in recent years, it is the view of the Japanese delegation that, in considering the implementation of conservation measures, due regard should be paid to the difference in the effect on resources of these two types of whaling operations.

3. The Japanese delegation wishes to draw attention to the fact that Japan fulfilled the contents of the "gentlemen's agreement of 1966," and to the statement made, during the meeting, by the representative of Japan that Japan, recognizing further an urgent need for conservation measures for fin whale stocks in the North Pacific, would take voluntary restrictive measures in 1967 so that her pelagic catches of fin whales in the North Pacific will not exceed 80 per cent of her catches of 1965 and that her catches of fin whales from land stations will not exceed 120 which is considerably below the current estimated sustainable yields in the area concerned excluding catches from East China Sea stock.

The Japanese delegation further wishes to confirm the additional statement by its representative that these voluntary measures would be taken even if no agreement were to be reached during the meeting.


Statement by the Delegation of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Side states the following:

(a)
In accordance with the scientists' recommendation the total level of fin whale catch in the North Pacific should be reduced in such a way that it is below 1,800 whales by 1969.
(b)
Since there are no local stocks of fin whales which are exploited only by land stations and are not caught by pelagic expeditions, all countries participating in the negotiations should take part in measures for the conservation of the fin whale stocks.
(c)
The Soviet Side has an extremely negative attitude to the fact that some countries have increased sharply the fin whale catches from land stations in 1966 and have refused to commit themselves to decrease or stabilize the catch in 1967. The Soviet Side is of the opinion that such practice presents a threat to the possibility of implementing joint measures for the rational utilization of whale stocks and that it should be changed.
(d)
The Soviet Side has decreased its 1966 fin whale catch by 10 per cent on a unilateral basis. At the present meeting the Soviet delegation put forward a proposal to decrease the catch of fin whales both for land stations and pelagic expeditions by 20 per cent in comparison with the level of the catch in 1965. As a compromise, the Soviet Side agreed that the catch of fin whales by Canada and the U.S.A. should not exceed in 1967 the level of 1965.
(e)
Since at the present meeting some countries have not put forward any proposals related to limiting or at least stabilizing their catch of fin whales, but, quite the opposite, have shown their desire to increase that catch, the Soviet Side considers the present meeting to be a step backward in comparison with the analogous negotiations in London in 1966.

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