18. INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER SCHEME AND INFRACTIONS (1976)

18. INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER SCHEME AND INFRACTIONS

(from "Chairman's Report of the Twenty-Eighth Meeting")

A sub-committee of the Technical Committee was appointed to examine the reports under both these items. It stated that the International Observer Scheme and the infractions reporting system were operating effectively although the sub-committee suggested some minor refinements in the recording and presentation of information. The Commission accepted the recommendation that member nations undertake in future to provide the monetary amounts involved in fines and in the withholding of pay and bonuses, translated into US dollars, together with other relevant information on administrative penalties. The situation revealed by all the reports was satisfactory. On the report of the alleged killing of an undersized sperm whale by the Soviet whaling fleet in the North Pacific on 27 June, 1976, the sub-committee was of the opinion that a comparison of the reports of the Japanese observer and the Greenpeace Foundation, who made the charge, yielded no evidence upon which to base a claim of violation of the Schedule. The Brazilian Commissioner informed the Commission that his government had commenced negotiations with Australia and hoped to join the International Observer Scheme and put it into effect this year. This was noted with approval.