19. SECOND INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH

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


19.1 Report of Scientific Committee
(a) IWC/IDCR Southern Hemisphere minke whale assessment cruises
A new assessment of minke whale abundance in Area V from the 1991/92 sightings survey was available. The number of animals in the survey area, approximately 55% of Area V, was estimated as 92,709 (CV 0.20). An estimate for the whole area south of 60°S, obtained by projection, was 207,833 (CV 0.21).

Previous surveys in Area V had been carried out in 1980/81 and 1985/86. The former is not directly comparable with the others; the 1985/86 estimate of 294,610 (CV 0.14) and the projected 1991/92 estimate now available are not significantly different. The consequences of these estimates were clarified in the plenary in response to a question from the Netherlands.

The report of the 1992/93 cruise was also available to the Scientific Committee.

(b) Humpback whale studies
Results from previously funded work on humpback whales off northwestern Australia and genetic variability and stock identity of humpback whales were used in the Scientific Committee deliberations.

(c) Review of Southern Hemisphere minke whale cruises
The Scientific Committee reviewed its role in planning and organisation of IDCR cruises, based on recent experience, particularly during the 1992/93 cruise. It recognised that its role in the cruises had diminished in recent years. Three main areas of concern were recognised:

(i)
logistical and administrative, particularly at the early planning stages;

(ii)
scientific, particularly in the specific details of cruise tracks and methodology;

(iii)
acceptance of responsibility, particularly the extent of the Scientific Committee's involvement in abundance surveys in the context of the RMS.
The Scientific Committee recognised that implementation of the RMS will result in the need for monitoring surveys, requiring closer Committee involvement in their scientific aspects. This will require in practice, more time devoted to the subject at annual meetings, and/or increased Committee involvement in intersessional meetings.

The Scientific Committee noted that it should itself set the scientific priorities for such surveys. Its involvement would be beneficial in two ways, by enlarging the scientific expertise applied in planning, and by increasing external confidence in the cruise results.

The Scientific Committee received the report of the Working Group established to consider the 1993/94 survey. It endorsed the recommendations in that report. In particular it re-emphasised the importance of an expanded planning meeting and an increased logistical and administrative role for the Secretariat, and recognised the increased budgetary implications of this. The Scientific Committee agreed; that Area I should be surveyed; that the cruise should begin later than usual if this proves practical; and that the size of the survey area should be decided at the planning meeting.

Japan was pleased to see that the IDCR programme is accepted as an effective tool for the management of whale resources after the opposition it received in 1984. It would be pleased to host the planning meeting in Tokyo, and also requested a thorough examination of g(0). The Chairman of the Scientific Committee indicated that the latter would be considered in the utility of the current independent observer mode used in the surveys.

(d) Review of proposals for 1993/94
The Scientific Committee reviewed six research proposals submitted to the meeting. After careful consideration it was concluded that they all met or exceeded the criteria for support, and the funding implications were presented to the Finance and Administration Committee for action.

_