27. ANY OTHER BUSINESS (1991)

27. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

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

Iceland made a statement on its position towards the IWC. It had invited the Commission to hold its meeting here so that members and NGOs should see how important it is to Icelanders to take a rational attitude towards the management of all marine resources, and for the public to see what can happen at the meetings. There is a subterranean element working to prevent consensus decisions by the Scientific Committee, and to justify taking decisions contrary to the advice of the Scientific Committee. The local press would also not need to rely solely on the anti-whaling news network for the often distorted version of the facts. It was useful to hear statements of the policies of governments for a total ban on commercial whaling. Iceland's policy on whaling should be seen in the perspective of its environmental policy as a whole. In recent meetings the Commission has adopted Resolutions on scientific permits addressed against Iceland which it considered illegal and ultra vires the organisation. The Commission has refused to reclassify the minke stock around Iceland despite the recommendation of the Scientific Committee, refused votes on catch limits despite evidence that no harm would be caused to the stocks, and made a decision on revised management procedures which gives opportunity for further procrastination. The spokesman concluded that the organisation is fundamentally flawed. Moderate nations have to choose between accommodating the views of extreme protectionism and those who wish to carry out scientifically-based conservative whaling. Too often the Commission appears to have chosen the extreme group, and he regrettably therefore would propose to his Government that Iceland withdraw from the IWC. That withdrawal would not take effect until 30 June next year, and until that time Iceland would work hard on the revised management procedure and not pursue any whaling. Any decision on whaling at a later time would be based on an analysis of all possible legal aspects.