2004 IWC report - pg 3

Another issue that could have a direct bearing on US whale conservation is the Makah aboriginal hunt of the eastern Pacific gray whale. The infamous paragraph 13(b) stating that aboriginal whaling would only be allowed for groups "...whose traditional aboriginal subsistence and cultural needs have been recognized" was added in 1997 to prevent the Makah from securing a quota of gray whales unless it could demonstrate such need. The Makah could not then and never will be able to because they have no subsistence need (see Makah for more background information on this issue). Last year, Russia tried to delete paragraph 13(b) saying that it unfairly discriminated against its Inuit Chukotka people, but Russia's proposal was defeated. This year, Russia came back with the same proposal, this time aided by Denmark, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and the US as co-sponsors, and the proposal was adopted by consensus. Whether this change in wording will affect NOAA's decision to appeal the recent ruling blocking the Makah hunt remains to be seen.

One of the first ripple effects from this year's meeting was that Japan immediately started holding "development aid" meetings with multiple governments in Africa and the Caribbean. With the vote count as close as it was at this meeting and with Japan ceaselessly offering its "development aid," next year's meeting could very well prove to be critical to the future of whale conservation. Unless the effects of Japan's vote-buying are countered by diplomatic or economic pressure from anti-whaling countries, many of whom provide more foreign aid to these same countries than does Japan, pro-whaling nations could next year gain a majority in the IWC for the first time since the moratorium went into effect.

A month after the IWC meeting, another ripple effect was felt. Taking heart from finally achieving its 16 year-long goal, Japan announced an increase in its "scientific research whaling" quota from 50 to 120 minke whales per year, according to an article in the Sanriku Kahoku News. Despite both the Bryde's and minke whaling Schedule Amendments being defeated, Japan was encouraged that "a resolution to try to save the coastal whaling was adopted" and, as a result, upped its "scientific research" quota of minke whales. The 120 minkes are going to be taken off the coasts of former whaling stations Ayukawa and Kushiro, the latter of which is hardly a "community" in need of revitalizing, but one of Japan's largest seaports and its only year-round, ice-free trading port.

As the ripple effects from this year's meeting grow, I strongly urge each and every member of ACS to resolve to do more than ever to head off the crisis facing our whales.

We need everyone's commitment or we are going to wake up some morning to commercial whaling again becoming a blight on our oceans and a scourge upon our conservation future. Let's vow today to double our efforts and get others to join us.

Editor's Addendum: CITES UDPATE: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CITES) wrapped up their meeting in mid-October. Overall, the news is very good for marine mammals. Japan tried yet again, but failed to get a majority vote to have the CITES delegates pressure the International Whaling Commission on the Revised Management issue, failed to get minke whales downlisted (less protection) to Appendix II by a stronger majority, and were even more soundly voted down when they tried to bring these issues up again at the end of the meeting. These are resounding defeats for Japan on whaling issues, which is good news for marine mammals world wide. In addition, many of the poor countries that Japan has been targeting with "aid" to pressure them to vote their way at the IWC meetings voted against Japan at the CITES meeting. This too is encouraging for the future of the on-going battle to keep the commercial whaling ban.

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