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

1. Greenland whaling
Greenland reported that last year they had a plan to introduce detonating grenade harpoons for the minke whale hunt. Now grenades have been purchased and particular problems are being worked out. Instructional courses for the Greenlandic whalers are being organised, including the use of video tapes. Translations of materials into Greenlandic have been prepared and the widely dispersed fisherman are being contacted. Rules for transport and insurance of the weapons are complicated and the AEWC offered to share their information and experience in these matters. Greenland has purchased 100 detonating grenade harpoons, 70 for minke whales and 30 for fin whales. None of the weapons had been tested this year.

Denmark issues dispensations to fishermen who want to hunt minke whales with rifles and 30 - 35 dispensations a year are expected. The rifles are used in small boats only, not the cutters. The UK asked if a record was being kept of struck and landed rate. It was stated that 4 fin whales had been struck and lost last year. There was no report on the minke whale loss.

New Zealand stated that they sometimes have to kill stranded minke whales which have not responded to rescue attempts. It was stated that a .303 calibre weapon is used and only a shot from in front of the skull by trained staff is lethal. New Zealand will present a paper on this subject next year. It is a requirement in Greenland that the rifles used in the minke whale hunt have a minimum calibre of 7.62mm. The USA asked if soft point or hard point bullets were used in the minke whale hunt, since soft point rifle bullets lodge in the flesh and blubber rather then penetrating deeply enough to kill quickly. Denmark reported that they use hard point bullets.

2. Alaskan bowhead whaling
The USA presented a document and the AEWC made a summary statement of its activities and plans for future studies. Since the 1988 allocation of the 41 landed and 44 strike annual quota, AEWC Management has conducted kill efficiency programmes each year to improve the struck and landed ratio. This has been accomplished by professional instruction on how to achieve good catch ratios. All captains attend these workshops annually. To date, AEWC has accomplished a landed efficiency of 70% for 1989 and during the spring 1990 hunt a 76% efficiency.

The AEWC and the captains are cooperating with Mr Egil Ole 懊n of Norway to improve the kill efficiency using the new projectiles. It is anticipated that after the experimental and testing phases are completed the kill efficiency rate will be higher. The whaling captains have identified a few minor technical problems. These are being addressed by Mr リen. Once the research and experimentation have been completed the AEWC will implement corrective measures that will enhance the use of the projectiles.

The group expressed appreciation to the USA for its continued progress and work. The USA thanked Mr リen (Norway) for his ongoing participation and help in their programme.

3. Any other business
(A) The UK drew attention to the footnotes to Paragraph 6 of the Schedule where Brazil, Iceland, Japan and the USSR objected to the ban on the use of the cold grenade harpoon for killing minke whales. The UK noted that Norway had withdrawn its objection to the ban in 1985 and hoped that the other countries would follow suit. Brazil stated that they would report back on the subject. Iceland stated that when commercial minke whaling starts then the objection will be withdrawn. The USSR was not present. Japan said it had no intention of withdrawing the objection at this time.

(B) The UK stated that in the past Denmark had offered to present information on the use of the gaff, closing of bays, and general humaneness of the kill in the Faroese pilot whale hunt, and hoped that this could continue. Denmark stated the opinion that the IWC is not the appropriate forum to deal with small cetaceans but they will provide information on a bilateral basis. Australia and the USA felt that the humaneness of the kill is at issue, not the management, and that a discussion would be appropriate. Sweden, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Seychelles and the UK all expressed an interest in such a discussion in the Working Group. Japan shared the views of Denmark.

(C) The question of the humpback whale hunt in St. Vincent & The Grenadines was discussed. The USA stated that it was reported in last year's Chairman's report that no attempt was being made to improve the humaneness of the hunt since that would only encourage the continuation of a dying operation. St. Vincent & The Grenadines stated that there will be no continuation of this industry following the retirement of the 69 year old harpooner, as no young fishermen are being trained for fear of encouraging them to continue in this work. The USA stated that if any significant change occurred in this fishery with respect to the recruitment of new fishermen, work should be undertaken to improve the humaneness of the killing methods.

In the Technical Committee, St Vincent & The Grenadines corrected their statement as reported. What was said was that there was no inconsistency in their position now, as opposed to previous years, as it has always stated that the fishery was dying naturally, and the only harpooner was now 69 years old and on his way out. No young people are either interested or being trained for fear of encouraging them to continue in this work.

(D) Australia requested information concerning methods used in the directed take of Dall's porpoises off Japan. This request was made in light of the increased take of Dall's porpoises and since this increase was reported to be due to the lack of minke whale meat in Japan. Australia believed that the IWC covers all species of cetaceans. Japan questioned how the increased take of Dall's porpoises could be related to discussion of this issue at the Humane Killing Working Group. The UK stated that since it was the IWC that had imposed the moratorium on minke whale hunting, the IWC has responsibility to take an interest in the humaneness of the hunt. Seychelles stated that it would be useful to have information provided on the methods used to kill cetaceans outside the scope of Japan's small type whale fishery. It believed that in the Small-Type whaling Working Group Japan had stated that the same vessels are used to hunt minke whales as are used to catch small cetaceans. Japan made it clear that the small-type whaling vessels were only used for minke whales, pilot whales and Baird's beaked whales and not for other small cetaceans. Norway stated that if we could look away from the text in the Convention and look solely at the humane killing issue, it was ready to discuss the humaneness of the killing methods of small cetaceans if the discussion included all species of small cetaceans.

The Chairman suggested that Japan be asked to provide information on the Dall's porpoise hunt on a bilateral basis. The UK asked Japan to present the laws which regulate the killing of Dall's porpoise as part of updating the file in the Secretariat on the national laws on killing animals. The representative of Japan stated that although he felt doubt on this request because he believed it is out of the competence of the IWC, he would relay this request back to the home authority for consideration.

The Secretary provided a brief history of the Humane Killing Working Group and its terms of reference. The present group was established due to a request from the Scientific Committee which wanted a body of experts to look into the humane aspects of the cold grenade harpoon used on the minke whale, and the aboriginal subsistence whaling element was added later. The responsibilities of the Working Group are established by the Commission. The present terms of reference of the Working Group are to review available papers and evaluate the results of experimental programmes on alternatives to the cold grenade harpoon for killing minke whales, and humane killing in aboriginal subsistence whaling.

15.2 Action arising
In the Technical Committee, Japan expressed its view that humane killing is outside the competence of the Commission and those species outside the Convention should not be considered. It noted that its objection in 1981 to the ban on the use of the cold grenade harpoon was lodged at the same time as it started experimental development of alternatives. The penthrite grenade developed by Japan had been extended to Norway and Alaska, USA. It stated that it is not in a position to withdraw its objection at this time, although the penthrite grenade has been used in its minke whaling operations.

The USA recorded its thanks to Mr リen of Norway for his work in Alaska. It also expected that if there are any changes in the St Vincent humpback fishery that that government will report on the matter.

Brazil stated that it expects to withdraw its objection. The UK appreciated the work carried out by Japan and hoped that it will withdraw its objection. It noted the position of Iceland and asked for information from the USSR. It found the Humane Killing Working Group to be a very constructive meeting and suggested that its terms of reference should be considered next year. It urged all states to improve the humaneness of the killing operations whether on large cetaceans or small.

Australia endorsed the UK's comments and proposed to add to the terms of reference 'and other whaling activities'. This proposal was supported by the UK, USA, New Zealand, Netherlands and Sweden. The Technical Committee agreed to recommend this extension to the terms of reference.

In the Commission, Denmark recorded that by 'other whaling activities', Denmark meant 'other whaling activities also covered by this Convention', and Japan confirmed its reservation on the extension of the terms of reference.

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