9. SPERM WHALES - LENGTH OF SEASON
(from "Chairman's Report of the Twenty-Seventh Meeting")
The Japanese Commissioner proposed that the provision in paragraph 2(c) of
the Schedule for one continuous open season not to exceed eight months out of
any period of twelve months for the taking of sperm whales by factory ships
and the requirement in paragraph 3(c) that the eight month period for land
stations should include the six month period for baleen whales should be
modified with a view to facilitating economic whaling operations.
The Scientific Committee reported that the length of the sperm whaling season
was no longer important in itself now that the sperm whale stocks were being
managed by catch limitation.
It referred to the possibility of disturbance of the breeding schools if the
extension of the season led to whaling at that time and proposed to consider
the question further at its next sperm whale special meeting.
The Commission accepted the Technical Committee's recommendation to delete
'one continuous open season' from paragraph 2(c) of the Schedule and insert
'an open season or seasons' and delete from paragraph 3(c) 'such period of
eight months to include the whole of the period of six months declared for
baleen whales, except minke whales, as provided for in sub-paragraph (b) of
this paragraph'.
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