Santiago, Chile
by Bernard Unti
 |
| Gerald & Buff Corsi, Cal. Academy of Sciences |
| Greenland wants to hunt humpbacks. |
Consensus builds for deferring agenda to 2009, as Greenland Catch Limits debate roils
IWC Chairman William Hogarth’s plan to shift issues of contention within the 81-member IWC to a small group format moved forward in Santiago on Day Two, as did his drive to avoid votes or discussions of a contentious nature until IWC 61 in Madeira next year. Meanwhile, the U.S. delegation, of which Hogarth is the titular head, was mostly reticent on matters of import under discussion at the meeting.
Closed session meetings among the delegates produced a 7-page document that proposed changes in rules of procedures directed toward the goals of comity and consensus-based decision-making. The most striking was a proposal that all resolutions be submitted to the IWC at least 60 days before its meeting, with exceptions made for those approved by the chair and his advisory committee. Some 24 countries participated in the "small" working group, which generated a list of 33 elements of importance to the future of IWC.
Greenland Stirs Up Controversy
Threatening to break the placid surface atmosphere of this year’s meeting was Greenland, which came to IWC 60 with a proposal to expand and increase its catch limits. Already taking fin, minke and bowhead whales, this protectorate of Denmark was seeking to add humpbacks (10 per year) to its aboriginal subsistence whaling quota.
Even under normal circumstances, this would have been a controversial proposal, but it was all the more problematic in light of a WSPA investigation that showed 25% of Greenland’s aboriginal catch landing in commercial markets, in apparent violation of the subsistence definitions common to the IWC.
Denmark, with its perennial responsibility of having to sell the Greenland proposals to the full body, took the brunt of the blows at a Monday night meeting, when it became clear that the majority of member nations of the European Union represented at the IWC—some 19 in all—would move to block the Greenland proposal. On Tuesday evening, rumors of a revised proposal were in play. In exchange for the humpback quota, Greenland was proposing to reduce its fin whale take.
Watching Whale Watching
Tuesday did see a positive discussion of whale watching in the context of the Scientific Committee’s report on the subject. Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett expressed support for the IWC as the proper body to regulate the whale watching industry, calling it “the world’s most important non-consumptive use of whales in financial and cultural terms,” while UK Commissioner Richard Cowan noted his satisfaction that “whales are now so highly valued as live animals, and that so many people are willing to pay a great deal of money for the pleasure of getting close to them.”
As the Scientific Committee’s report indicates, however, the impacts of whale watching on whale populations may themselves bear watching. The report expressed concerns about the practice of aerial whale watching, as well as some of the “swim with whales” programs being offered throughout the world. HSI scientist Dr. Naomi Rose will participate in an intersessional working group on the latter subject.
Whales Versus Oil
Deferring to Dr. Hogarth in one or both of his capacities (it’s generally hard to tell), the U.S. delegation has been quiet on all but the most saccharine measures. The exception was its expressed concerns for the endangered western North Pacific gray whale, whose feeding grounds are the site of burgeoning oil and gas exploration operations off Sakhalin Island in Russia. In a remark hearkening back to classic Cold War confrontations, the Russian delegation’s Valentin Ilyashenko disparaged the value of tracking and photographic work focusing on the gray whale population. Acting U.S. delegation head Doug DeMaster parried by reminding IWC delegates that the western gray whale population numbers only about 120 animals and that a variety of threats continue to jeopardize its recovery.
Not least of these is the extremely harmful, at times even lethal effect of deep sea energy exploration and drilling, which the Russian commissioner did not deign to address. Such operations involve tremendous ship traffic, pollution, and other anthropogenic threats to the well-being of whale populations.
It is a Russian company that is operating in the western gray whale feeding ground, but it is nevertheless noteworthy that this year’s non-governmental cadre at the IWC’s Scientific Committee and general meetings includes representatives from the energy companies Shell and ExxonMobil.
Mitigating Threats by Man
Elaborating on the need to mitigate anthropogenic threats to the western gray whale population, DeMaster offered a word of praise for Japanese efforts to reduce bycatch in these same waters.
Entanglements, as well as ship strikes, are also a threat to the endangered western North Atlantic right whale population which numbers around 300, and the IWC supported the recommendation of the Scientific Committee that anthropogenic mortality be reduced to zero as soon as possible. As a welfare issue, the handling and euthanasia of entangled whales, the subject of a scoping group led by Norway, has made steady progress. Speaking for nations with active disentanglement programs, Australia praised this progress.
Opportunity for NGOs
After much diplomatic parley, NGO representatives accepted Chairman Hogarth’s offer of a Wednesday morning session at which NGO speakers both for and against whaling could address the IWC. Speakers from Latin America, Japan, and Senegal [PDF] were selected to represent the pro-whale forces. HSI associated itself with the remarks of all three speakers.
