Ecolex Logo
The gateway to
environmental law
Search results » Treaty decision

Resolution 1995-3

Document type
Resolution
Reference number
1995-3
Date
May 29, 1995
Source
UNEP, InforMEA
Status
Adopted
Subject
Wild species & ecosystems, Sea
Treaty
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (Dec 2, 1946)
Meeting
47th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC47)
Website
crm.iwc.int
Abstract

WHEREAS the International Whaling Commission, at its 45th Annual Meeting adopted a Resolution (IWC/45/51) which recognised the socio-economic and cultural needs of the four community-based whaling communities in Japan and the ongoing distress to these communities which has resulted from the whaling moratorium,

WHEREAS the Resolution further instructed the Commission "to work expeditiously to alleviate the distress to these communities which has resulted from the cessation of minke whaling at its next Annual Meeting,"

WHEREAS the Action Plans tabled in the IWC's 45th and 46th Annual Meetings were rejected due to alleged commercial elements in the Japanese Community-based Whaling operations, WHEREAS the Government of Japan tabled an improved Action Plan (IWC/47/SEST1) specifying administrative arrangements to remove commercial elements from Japanese Community-based whaling. This was an interim measure taken to alleviate profound social, cultural and dietary hardships caused by the imposition of the zero quota,

WHEREAS the Action Plan (IWC/47/26) incorporated further sugges-tions received from members of the Working Group on Socio-Economic Implication and Small-type Whaling at the 47th Annual Meeting of the IWC,

WHEREAS Japan requested an interim relief allocation of 50 minke whales at the 47th Annual Meeting which would be managed in accordance with the Action Plan (IWC/47/26),

WHEREAS Japan proposed a Schedule amendment to insert after Paragraph 13, a new paragraph as follows: "Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 10, the taking of 50 minke whales from the Okhotsk Sea-West Pacific stock of the North Pacific in the 1995 season is permitted in order to alleviate the hardship in the Community-based Whaling communities,"

WHEREAS this proposal was not adopted by vote due to divergent views expressed by Member States, WHEREAS the Action Plan (IWC/47/26) itself was commended by the Member States as a well-documented and useful tool to manage an interim relief allocation if the allocation is ever given to Japanese Communitybased Whaling communities in future, and

WHEREAS Japan further revised the Action Plan (IWC/47/46), stipu-lating that the total quota of minke whales to be authorised under the Action Plan, if an interim relief allocation is ever given, would be decided in a future Annual Meeting,

NOW THEREFORE:

The International Whaling Commission, at its 47th Annual Meeting,

RECOGNISES the revised Action Plan (IWC/47/46) as constructive management elements in accordance with IWC regulations.