WWF have called for science, not politics to be the driving force behind any revised quotas for international whaling, and claimed that the current proposal set to voted on by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) would be a step backwards if it is accepted in its current form.

Whaling in the Name of Science

Since the moratorium on commercial whaling was established in 1986, Iceland, Norway and Japan have abused loopholes in order to continue hunting for the aquatic mammals. This has created an impasse between these countries seeking to continue whaling, and those that want these loopholes closed off and for the three renegade countries to stop altogether.

Compromise

In an effort to move on from the endlessly looping arguments that arise at IWC meetings, the latest proposal will reopen commercial fishing, but enforce quotas and stronger governance and conservation measures.

Politics

WWF believes that that as a result of the political machination that has gone on behind this proposal, the quotas have been born more out of bargaining between the parties than the scientific methods the IWC claims it has used.

“Setting quotas for commercial whaling based on politics not science would be a step backwards for IWC,” said Wendy Elliott, Species Program manager, WWF-International.

Endangering the Endangered

One key problem in with the quotas is that the include limits for hunting whale species listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered

Both fin whales and sei whales are endangered species, yet this proposal would allow the commercial killing of 65 fin whales in the Southern Ocean and 500 Sei whales in the North Pacific over a ten year period. Both fin and sei whale species were depleted to severely low levels by previous whaling that spun out of control, and remain endangered as a result. Allowing new commercial whaling on these species when they have yet to recover from previous whaling could well push them into an irreparable slide towards extinction.

Sanctuary

A further problem that WWF has with the proposal is that it would legitimise commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, which was established by the IWC itself in 1994. This region was selected for special protection measures as it is the main feeding ground of many whale species, such as blue whales, humpback whales and fin whales.

“If there is one place on earth where whales should have full protection, it is the Southern Ocean.” said Heather Sohl, species policy officer, WWF-UK. “Some whales feed exclusively in the Southern Ocean – not eating at all during the winter months when they travel up to tropical waters. Allowing commercial whaling in an area where whales are so vulnerable goes against all logic.”

The Positives

The positive aspects of the proposal include increased efforts to secure the recovery of depleted whale populations, action on critical conservation threats facing whales such as bycatch and climate change, and improved governance and compliance. All of these are measure that many conservationists have been calling for to be brought in for years now. Celebrations for these small positives may be limited if the cost is the proposed damaging compromises.