Chairman's Report of the Special Meeting,
Tokyo, December 1977
(from "REP. INT. WHAL. COMMN 29, 1979")
1. DATE, PLACE AND PURPOSE
The Special Meeting was held, at the kind invitation of the Government of
Japan, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo on 6 and 7 December 1977.
The proceedings were conducted by the Chairman of the Commission, Mr A.G.
Bollen (Australia).
He reminded participants that the prime purpose of the Special Meeting was
consideration of the management of North Pacific sperm whale stocks including
classification, the setting of catch limits and implementation of any
recommendations of the Scientific Committee arising from a special meeting
of that Committee held specifically to consider the problems and review the
assessment of these particular stocks.
A second important item for the attention of the Special Meeting was the
reconsideration by the Commission of its decision in June to prohibit the take
by Alaskan Eskimos of bowhead whales from the Bering Sea stock.
2. REPRESENTATION
Commissioners and delegates attended from fifteen of the seventeen member
countries, Brazil and Panama being absent.
Observers were present from the Governments of:
Chile
Korea, Republic of
Peru
and the following international organisations:
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations
International Union for the Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources
African Wildlife Leadership Foundation
Fauna Preservation Society
Friends of the Earth
Friends World Committee for Consultation
Greenpeace Foundation
Innuit Circumpolar Conference
International Transport Workers Federation
Project Jonah
World Federation for the Protection of Animals
World Wildlife Fund
3. ADDRESS OF WELCOME
An address of welcome on behalf of the Japanese Government was given by Mr
Imai, Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery.
He reviewed briefly the achievements made by the Commission since its
establishment and noted its efforts in preserving and conserving whale
resources.
However, he regretted that there were continuous accusations against the
whaling nations which did not give a fair appreciation of the efforts of the
IWC.
He realised that the aim of the present meeting was to review the provisions
of the Schedule with regard to the sperm whale quota in the North Pacific, and
in wishing every success to the meeting, hoped that it would arrive at a fair
and proper decision based on the assessment of the Scientific Committee.
4. STATEMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS AND OBSERVERS
In order to make the most economical use of the time available Commissioners
and Observers had been asked to present written rather than oral statements.
These were collated and circulated during the course of the meeting.
5. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The provisional annotated agenda, circulated sixty days in advance of the
meeting in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, based upon a draft agenda
distributed 100 days before the meeting, was adopted.
6. REVIEW OF TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MANDATE AND
FUNCTIONS
The Technical Committee supported the important initiative contained in a
paper put forward by Canada.
This outlined the need to develop a truly technical role for this Committee by
bringing in all the necessary expertise so that it can act as an intermediary
stage between the Scientific Committee and the plenary session.
The Commission agreed to establish an ad hoc working group to discuss
this question, and to develop terms of reference for a reconstituted Technical
Committee, together with appropriate rules of procedure and other relevant
proposals for Commission action.
Canada was asked to convene the working group, which would meet in Cambridge
for two days prior to the 30th Annual Meeting and report to that meeting.
7. NORTH PACIFIC SPERM WHALE STOCKS
The Scientific Committee had carried out a detailed review and analysis of the
available information at a special meeting of the Committee held in Cronulla,
NSW, 21 - 26 November 1977.
Their three recommendations were endorsed by the Technical Committee and
adopted by the Commission.
The decisions were that:
- (1)
- Management of the North Pacific sperm whale stocks should be based on two
Divisions divided by a line from the ice edge south along the 180° West
meridian of longitude to 180° West, 50° North, then east along the
50° North parallel of latitude to 170° West, 50° North, then south
along the 170° West meridian of longitude to 170° West, 40° North,
then east along the 40° North parallel of latitude to 160° West,
40° North, then south along the 160° West meridian of longitude to the
equator.
- (2)
- Stock classifications and catch limits for 1978 should be:
| |
|
Classification |
Catch limits |
| Western Division |
Male |
SMS |
2,987 |
| |
Female |
SMS |
784 |
| Estern Division |
Male |
IMS |
2,118 |
| |
Female |
IMS |
555 |
The changes in the recommended catch limits since the June 1977 meeting
resulted mainly from changes in the estimated current population sizes
compared to the original and were not caused by any significant change in the
relative population levels in the model.
The increased estimated relative populations, particularly for males, were
caused principally by the effect of changes in effort modifiers.
- (3)
- In order to protect the breeding bulls during the pairing season, there
should be a closed season for males over 45 ft in length south of 40° North
for four months, March through June.
Recommendations 1 and 3 were adopted unanimously, and recommendation 2 by 13
votes to 1, with 1 abstention.
The Commission accepted the Scientific Committee's view that with the
introduction of these management arrangements it was not necessary to consider
step procedures to minimise the economic dislocation resulting from the
analyses at this time, but that consideration of the principles involved
should be included in the agenda of the 30th Annual Meeting.
Further information, particularly on the effect of Asdic, should be made
available before that review.
8. AMENDMENT TO RULES OF PROCEDURE, RULE III
The Chairman reported that Commissioners had discussed suggested amendments to
Rule III governing the admission of Observers to meetings of the Commission.
The matter was still under review and would be put on the agenda of the 30th
Annual Meeting.
In the meantime there would be no change in the Commission's policy.
9. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF
WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES)
The Secretary reported on the special working session of the CITES held in
Geneva, attended by the Chairman and Secretary on 25 - 28 October 1977.
Cross-representation between the two conventions would be of mutual benefit,
and the CITES was to offer Observer status to the IWC at meetings of the
Parties.
The Commission agreed that the CITES should be granted Observer status at its
meetings and those of the Scientific Committee.
10. REVISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE REGULATION OF
WHALING, 1946
The Commissioner for Denmark extended on behalf of his Government an
invitation to hold a preparatory meeting in Copenhagen next year.
The Commission accepted this offer with gratitude and considered that a four
day meeting, 4 - 7 July 1978 would be adequate.
The Secretary was instructed to circulate the agreed negotiating text to IWC
member nations and 10 other whaling nations.
11. BERING SEA STOCK OF BOWHEAD WHALES
Following the total ban agreed by the Commission at its 29th Annual Meeting,
the USA presented a proposal for a modest take of bowheads in 1978 to satisfy
the subsistence and cultural needs of the Alaskan Eskimos, together with a
scientific programme and regulatory measures.
The Scientific Committee had reiterated its statement that any take could
adversely affect the stock and contribute to preventing its eventual recovery.
The Technical Committee, after a number of votes, agreed by a majority to
recommend an amendment to the Schedule and a supporting Resolution limiting
the bowhead take to 18 struck whales in 1978.
The proposal failed to gain the necessary three quarters majority in plenary
session (6 votes for, 6 against, 3 abstentions).
An amendment by the USA, seconded by Denmark, to limit the take to 15 landed
whales failed when it received 5 votes for and 3 against, with 7 abstentions.
The Commission then adopted, by 10 votes to 3 with 2 abstentions, the proposal
by Norway seconded by the USSR which limited the take to 12 landed or 18
struck whales.
The Commission also agreed to the addition of a final paragraph to the
Resolution proposed by the UK and seconded by the Netherlands.
The Schedule amendment is shown in Appendix 1 and the Resolution in Appendix 2.
12. ACTION RELATIVE TO NON-MEMBER WHALING NATIONS
Japan reported that it is their practice not to authorise the transfer or sale
of whaling vessels and equipment to non-member whaling nations.
No Japanese firms are involved in Chilean whaling operations. With respect to
restrictions on imports of whale products from non-IWC nations, there are
difficulties arising from other treaty obligations such as GATT, but steps are
being taken to discourage such imports.
The USA put forward three Resolutions dealing with whaling operations in Chile
and Peru.
Amendments to take note of a statement by the Observer for Peru indicating his
Government's actions to limit whaling activities, and correction of a
misunderstanding were agreed, and the Commission adopted the Resolutions shown
in Appendices 3, 4 and 5.
13. CONSTITUTION OF TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
All member nations present.
Chairman: Mr T. Asgeirsson (Iceland).
14. AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHEDULE
The amendments to the Schedule approved by the Commission are shown in
Appendix 1.
A. G. Bollen
Chairman
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