Menu
IWC – Final Thoughts
Commissioners and support staff of the 67 nations represented at the 66th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission, members of the IWC Secretariat, observers from Intergovernmental Organizations and Non-governmental Organizations and members of the media have all gone home or are enjoying some time off after an intensive period of hard work. The rhetoric was very polite and often formal; most speakers thanked their nemesis for their comments before vehemently disagreeing with them. The range of opinions and positions on the floor ran the gamut from staunch whaling nations to absolute conservation minded ones, with every position in between represented. The NGOs also represented a wide variety of points of view, from Humane Society International, World Wildlife Fund and Animal Welfare Society, to organizations like the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, Japan Whaling Association and Makah Indian Tribe. The South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary was not adopted at this session, but that does not mean that the fight is over. This proposal was first brought up in 1998 and has reached the floor multiple times since 2001; the sponsoring nations (Argentina, Brazil, Gabon, South Africa and Uruguay) are certain to bring it up again at the next meeting. And the NGO community is determined to make sure it passes this time. The key is going to be swaying the votes of a large group of small nations, mainly from the Caribbean and South Pacific, they always align with Japan. There is ample evidence that this is due in large part to fisheries aid to the countries and stipends to commissioners attending the IWC meetings. Often these countries are represented at the IWC by fisheries managers and the governments, and citizens back home are not even aware of the way their countries are represented. European Union diplomats will have to contact their counterparts to point out that financial aid from Europe in most cases is far greater than any contributions from Japan, although those funds are not tied to any quid pro quo. Also, the governments of the nations on question need to be made aware of how they are being represented. And finally, travelers from all over the world should be encouraged to spend their vacation budgets in countries that do not promote whaling. Seven resolutions were introduced at this meeting. The one that clearly spoke most strongly to the conservation community was the Draft Resolution on the Critically Endangered Vaquita, which passed by consensus. In practical terms, this resolution puts pressure on the government of Mexico to do all it can to prevent the extinction of the tiny Sea of Cortez porpoise. This makes the IWC the third international body to take a position on the issue after the World Conservation Congress and the International Union Conservation of nature passed similar resolutions in recent weeks. Whaling does not rank among the top conservation issues affecting cetaceans in most people’s minds, but it takes constant vigilance and action to keep it from expanding again. Additionally, the International Whaling Commission has become an important player in the areas of research and conservation. As concerned citizens, we need to keep a close eye on the IWC, even between meetings, to both make sure that commercial whaling is not resurrected and to keep informed on all the work being done in so many areas of cetacean management. ACS Representative, Bernardo Alps
1 Comment
|
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 |