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The Draft Resolution on the Critically Endangered Vaquita was approved by consensus, well, kind of. No nation wants to appear unsympathetic to the plight of a species that is so close to extinction, but many countries vehemently espouse the belief that the IWC has no jurisdiction over small cetaceans. In the end, no country spoke against the resolution, which would have automatically blocked approval by consensus, but many countries went on record as not being part of the proceedings (akin to abstaining during a vote). The resolution was introduced by the US with 20 co-sponsors, all of them European nations. The commissioner from Mexico welcomed the resolution.
It commends the Mexican government for efforts already in place to protect the vaquita and for the announcement of a permanent gillnet ban in the species’ habitat, and urges it to eliminate all exceptions to the ban. This refers specifically to the corvina fishery which doesn’t by itself endanger the vaquita but can be used as cover for the highly lucrative illegal totoaba fishery. It also urges all governments to help enforce trade and trafficking in totoaba swim bladders and to offer assistance to Mexico. The full text of the resolution (Resource ID 6315) can be found at https://archive.iwc.int/pages/search.php?search=%21collection24471&k= The Resolution on Enhancing the Effectiveness of the IWC also achieved consensus and independent review will be conducted before the next meeting. The Resolution on Food Security will be worked on further and will likely be taken up again at the next meeting. Three resolutions that failed to garner consensus passed with a simple majority of votes: the Resolution on Improving the Review Process for Whaling under Special Permit (34/17/10) basically calls for “scientific whaling” programs to undergo an approval process rather than just being authorized in house by the countries conducting them; the Resolution on Cetaceans and Ecosystem Services (35/16/9) acknowledges the important role that cetaceans play in the environment; and the Draft Resolution on Minamata Convention (36/23) addresses mercury and heavy metal pollution. The resolution on aid to governments with limited means will be revisited on Friday. On the topic of Safety at Sea, Japan offered a PowerPoint presentation that detailed the encounters its whaling fleet has had with protest vessels in the Southern Ocean. All speakers agreed that safety should be a primary concern and some suggested the International Maritime Organization as the appropriate forum for this discussion. Special Permit (or scientific) Whaling was discussed at length, with comments falling along the expected lines. The US reiterated that lethal research is unnecessary while Japan defended the practice. India suggested the research could be conducted on captive animals. We heard updates on three existing Conservation Management Plans; for western North Pacific gray whales, south western Atlantic and south eastern Pacific southern right whales. Regarding the gray whales, the Scientific Committee has received recording from the US Navy that show the presence of this species in the East China Sea. Mexico and Korea have formally signed on to the CMP. It was also announced that the IWC Whale Watching Handbook should be online by 2018. ACS Representative, Bernardo Alps
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American Cetacean SocietyThe mission of the American Cetacean Society is to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats through public education, research grants, and conservation actions.
ACS Representative, Bernardo AlpsCategories |