6. COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF WHALE STOCKS

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


Japan had proposed this item and introduced a draft resolution to the Technical Committee establishing a framework for a comprehensive assessment of whale stocks. It had lodged an objection to the pause in commercial whaling on the grounds that it was not justified by scientific evidence. It considered that preparations should be made before the pause comes into effect to undertake the assessment of the effect of this action on the stocks and offered the proposal which was based on wording developed by the Scientific Committee.

The Seychelles agreed with the thrust of the proposal since research and consideration of management procedures must be developed during the pause in commercial whaling but it identified a number of problems with the proposed text. There was general consensus in the Technical Committee on the operative parts of the resolution and after consultation between interested governments a revised draft was submitted to the Plenary session.

The revised Resolution, to establish a joint Working Group of the Scientific and Technical Committees and its terms of reference as shown in Appendix 2, was proposed by Japan, seconded by Peru and the Seychelles and adopted by consensus. The Commission agreed that Japan should convene the Working Group, which is open to all members of the Commission.

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