Tiskové zprávy
International Whaling Commission: Tisková zpráva - Den druhý - 17. červen
17. června 2006 | International Whaling Commission
Today, the Commission first considered the question of aboriginal subsistence whaling. The report of its Sub-Committee on Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling can be found HERE. The Commission was pleased to received new abundance estimates for the common minke whale (3,500, 95%CI 1,500-7,700) and fin whale (1,700 95%CI 840-3,500) off West Greenland, an area where recent estimates had been lacking. After reviewing the available information, the Commission agreed to retain the present catch limits.
The Commission then went on to discuss progress with the Revised Management Scheme. This year there had been an intersessional working group meeting in Cambridge and a follow up session prior to the Annual Meeting. The reports of the Working Group can be found HERE. Despite considerable discussion, it was agreed that talks had reached an impasse. While individual governments or groups of governments may work together on ways forward, at the end of today’s discussions, there is no formal Commission activity identified for the coming year. The Commission then began consideration of an item placed on the Agenda by Japan entitled ‘Normalising the IWC’. There was considerable discussion about what this might mean for the IWC, including suggestions that the word ‘normalisation’ might be replaced by ‘modernisation’ or ‘harmonisation’. Considerably different views were put forward but no agreement was reached. The item was left open until Day 3.
The primary item of business in the afternoon was discussion of matters related to socio-economic implications and small-type whaling. Japan gave a presentation on the hardship suffered by its four community-based whaling communities in Japan (Abashiri, Ayukawa, Wadaura and Taiji) as a result of the moratorium and introduced the Taiji Declaration on Traditional Whaling. In 2004, the Commission had reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to work expeditiously to alleviate the continued difficulties caused by the cessation of minke whaling (see Resolution 2004-2).
Japan introduced a proposal to allow the taking of up to 150 minke whales from the Okhotsk Sea-West Pacific stock of the North Pacific each year until 2009 or until the quota based on RMS is decided, whichever was earlier. This would have required a three-quarters majority to become effective. In the event, there were 30 votes in favour, 31 votes against and 4 abstentions. Japan decided not to present a similar proposal for a take of up to 150 Bryde’s whales.
The Commission then went on to discuss progress with the Revised Management Scheme. This year there had been an intersessional working group meeting in Cambridge and a follow up session prior to the Annual Meeting. The reports of the Working Group can be found HERE. Despite considerable discussion, it was agreed that talks had reached an impasse. While individual governments or groups of governments may work together on ways forward, at the end of today’s discussions, there is no formal Commission activity identified for the coming year. The Commission then began consideration of an item placed on the Agenda by Japan entitled ‘Normalising the IWC’. There was considerable discussion about what this might mean for the IWC, including suggestions that the word ‘normalisation’ might be replaced by ‘modernisation’ or ‘harmonisation’. Considerably different views were put forward but no agreement was reached. The item was left open until Day 3.
The primary item of business in the afternoon was discussion of matters related to socio-economic implications and small-type whaling. Japan gave a presentation on the hardship suffered by its four community-based whaling communities in Japan (Abashiri, Ayukawa, Wadaura and Taiji) as a result of the moratorium and introduced the Taiji Declaration on Traditional Whaling. In 2004, the Commission had reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to work expeditiously to alleviate the continued difficulties caused by the cessation of minke whaling (see Resolution 2004-2).
Japan introduced a proposal to allow the taking of up to 150 minke whales from the Okhotsk Sea-West Pacific stock of the North Pacific each year until 2009 or until the quota based on RMS is decided, whichever was earlier. This would have required a three-quarters majority to become effective. In the event, there were 30 votes in favour, 31 votes against and 4 abstentions. Japan decided not to present a similar proposal for a take of up to 150 Bryde’s whales.
Online diskuse
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