16. INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH (1980)

16. INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH

(from "Chairman's Report of the Thirty-Second Annual Meeting")

The Scientific Committee reviewed the results of the research proposals under this heading and noted that the criterion of co-operation between international groups and/or funding from more than one international source was met by four proposals for the coming year. It noted the progress and proposed continuation of the Southern Hemisphere minke whale marking and sightings programmes by Japan and the USSR, and the offer by France to make facilities available for age determination.

The Commission endorsed the following three proposals recommended by the Scientific Committee through the Technical Committee:

(1): Icelandic whaling research facilities.
(2): UK Sea Mammal Research Unit, Azores sperm whale proposal.
(3): Completion of report on 'Sperm whales of the Southeast Pacific', drawing the attention of Peru and Chile to their responsibilities in the matter.

The Commission also recognised the need to establish a procedure for assessing projects and allocating funds to them between meetings and empowered the Secretary to expend up to 0,000 per year, to provide travel and other expenses for attendance at meetings and workshops supported by the Commission.

Iceland put forward a Resolution for setting up a research centre in Iceland. After clarification that priorities for research identified by the Scientific Committee would be recognised and also that the scientific permit procedure would be followed, this Resolution (Appendix 9) was endorsed by the Technical Committee and adopted by the Commission.

New Zealand described the research programme on humpback whales around Tonga funded by New Zealand's contribution to the IDCR which was proceeding. The first part of the survey was completed and the second stage would commence in August 1980.

Australia introduced a proposal on whale habitats. This recognised the fragile nature, particularly of the Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems, and the need for careful monitoring programmes. There was some discussion of the proposal and it was adopted, after redrafting in the form shown in Appendix 10, by the Commission.

The Scientific Committee noted that ICES had some relevant information on this subject and the Commission accepted its recommendation through the Technical Committee that the IWC Observer at its next meeting should request that this information is sent to the IWC Secretariat.