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The International Whaling Commission at its 70th meeting in Hobart adopted its first single-voice declaration, but a South Atlantic whale sanctuary was defeated again.
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) adopted its first single-voice declaration at its 70th meeting in Hobart, marking its 80th anniversary, but a proposal for a South Atlantic whale sanctuary was defeated again. The IWC was set up 80 years ago to regulate whaling, and a moratorium on commercial whaling began 40 years ago.
South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary Fails
At the Hobart meeting, Brazil put forward a resolution to establish a whale protection zone in the South Atlantic stretching 21 million square kilometres from the equator to Antarctica. The zone would create a continuous, permanent haven from commercial whaling across whales' entire feeding, breeding and migratory life cycles.
A major change to the whaling convention requires three-quarters of attending members to vote in favour. Thirty-nine countries voted for the sanctuary, 18 against, and three abstained, so it failed. The Brazilian delegate said his country would submit the plan at every IWC plenary session until approved.
Antigua and Barbuda representatives disputed whether Brazil should continue to put forward the proposal. The Antigua and Barbuda (Barbados) representative said it was time for the proponent to seriously consider permanent withdrawal until issues in paragraph 10e could be assessed. Paragraph 10e details the 1986 global moratorium on commercial whaling.
Hobart Declaration Marking 80 Years
The summit voted in favour of a Hobart Declaration marking 80 years of the whaling convention and the recovery of some populations due to the 40-year ban on commercial whaling, while noting new non-whaling threats, including ship strikes, noise pollution and net entanglement.
Matt Collis, from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), said the declaration had symbolic importance because it was passed by consensus, which he called an achievement given the divergent views. He said the moratorium transformed the IWC from an old whalers' club to the whale conservation body it is today.
Collis added that a lot of time and energy this week went to essentially saying happy birthday to the commission, when the real anniversary to celebrate is the 40th anniversary of the global whaling moratorium and its extraordinary effect in helping whale populations recover.
Nick Gales said the joint declaration was an important moment for the commission. He said it was not just about saying happy birthday, but about showing the IWC can provide a statement of who it is as an organisation, what its differences are, and give some vision to what members agree to pursue in the future.
Dr Gales said the declaration was carefully drafted to avoid giving policy advantage to either side, nor cancelling gains made in the past by either side of the debate. He said it was the first time the IWC has been able to reach across the policy divide and make a common, single-voice declaration, calling it really quite important.
New Measures on Ship Strikes and Bycatch
The meeting endorsed motions to strengthen action on ship strikes, monitor and report collisions with whales, recommend safer ship routes in high-risk areas, recommend lower vessel speeds, and increase collaboration between shipping companies and maritime agencies.
Government representatives also supported a resolution targeting the international fish maw trade, which is a cause of bycatch of whales and dolphins. Maw is fish bladder, which is highly sought after by some countries.
Reaching consensus at the International Whaling Commission remains a slow process. While progress was made on starting to address growing risks to whales such as vessel strikes, another attempt to establish a vast sanctuary in the South Atlantic was defeated. Brazil has vowed to continue seeking support for the South Atlantic whale sanctuary, but other countries remain steadfastly opposed.
International Whaling Commission South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary Hobart Declaration Brazil Antigua And Barbuda Commercial Whaling Moratorium Ship Strikes
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