14. SMALL CETACEANS (1984)

14. SMALL CETACEANS

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

14.1 Report of the Scientific Committee
14.1.1 Proposals for renaming sub-committee and agenda item
After a thorough review the Scientific Committee strongly recommended that the sub-committee retain its name as the sub-committee on Small Cetaceans and this was agreed by the Technical Committee and the Commission.

14.1.2 Review of specified fisheries and stocks
The Scientific Committee reviewed the populations, identity, population size/range, life history parameters, ecology, catches, status and management of the four species of Cephalorynchus.

The Committee then provided the advice shown in Appendix 2, which the Technical Committee and the Commission noted.

While recognising the general scientific value of the information requested, Mexico expressed its reservation over making this advice to the Commission on species which are not listed in the Convention. Brazil, Chile, France, Japan, the Philippines and the USSR made similar reservations and Argentina indicated its position on the Commission's competence to regulate small cetaceans, but said it is prepared to provide information of a scientific nature.

Sweden believed it is important to have these scientific studies.

The Netherlands expressed some concern over the large catch of Dall's porpoise off Japan, while Japan recalled that research is undertaken and reported to the IWC. It is ready to take necessary actions upon the findings of such research.