Whales In The Wild

What needs to be done


What needs to be done



even out of the 11 great whale species are considered endangered or vulnerable even after decades of protection from whaling. At least three of the small cetaceans are on the edge of extinction: the Indus and Yangtze river dolphins, and the little Mexican coastal porpoise, the vaquita. The status of almost all the rest of the world's 79 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises remains uncertain at best. They all face a variety of threats, which need a wide range of measures to combat them. Underlying all these measures are two essentials:



* the need for more research to provide a clearer picture of their status

* the need for public education and involvement.



In order to secure the future of the world's whales, WWF believes the following actions must be undertaken:

Give whales strong legal protection through laws and treaties

One of the essential tools for conserving cetaceans is the use of national, regional, and international laws and conventions.

Control whaling through the IWC

The IWC, established under the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, is the only international organization with the authority to regulate for whale conservation worldwide. Without the IWC there would be no international control of the whaling industry, no moratorium on commercial whaling, and no high seas whale sanctuaries. The moratorium must remain in place, and Norway and Russia's objections to it should be withdrawn. Given the complete failure throughout history of the whaling industry to operate sustainably, and its deplorable record of flouting of controls, extreme doubt will always remain as to whether regulations could ever be fully enforced if whaling reopened. Further, WWF sees no benefit to the conservation of whales from commercial whaling, and no justification for its resumption.

The IWC is continuing its work on the Revised Management Scheme (RMS), which includes the Revised Management Procedure (RMP) to replace the discredited 1974 "New Management Procedure". Any future RMS would have to include amongst other elements: (a) rigorous provisions for conducting the whale population surveys producing data for the RMP, with the surveys conducted under IWC auspices and with international inspection; (b) rigorous standards for catch data accuracy and analysis; (c) a stringent observation and international inspection scheme, with, for example, more than one inspector on each whaling vessel if it is at sea for longer than 12 hours; and (d) provisions to ensure that any scientific whaling catches are included in the total of RMP catch limits. An RMS which included at least all these elements would provide a framework for considering an RMS for aboriginal/subsistence whaling, which needs to be developed by the IWC. In addition, it would serve as a useful insurance to underpin the moratorium.

Strengthen the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary

The IWC's 50 million km2 Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was established primarily to protect the southern hemisphere whales on their summer feeding grounds. It also provides an important opportunity for non-lethal scientific research and monitoring on undisturbed and recovering whale populations and the ecosystems of which they are part. Large-scale scientific whaling should not be conducted inside the sanctuary.

Control international trade in whale products

CITES' controls on international trade are a crucial weapon in the effective enforcement of the moratorium. All whale species whose catching is regulated by the IWC have been listed in CITES' Appendix I since 1986, so international trade in all whale products is prohibited for states that are parties to CITES. "Importation from the sea", which covers killing whales beyond the 200-mile EEZ and bringing then into the country, is also prohibited when it is for commercial purposes. However, Japan and Russia both have six reservations, and Norway four, to the Appendix I listings. These reservations should be withdrawn.

In spite of the efforts of CITES, there have been recent examples of smuggling and illegal trade in whalemeat involving Norway, Russia, Taiwan, Republic of Korea, and Japan, some of them brought to light by TRAFFIC investigations. The IWC has urged its members to clamp down on the trade, but further measures are necessary. In the meantime, NGO monitoring will continue.

Conserve smaller cetaceans through regional agreements

There is a long-standing disagreement as to whether the IWC has the legal authority to regulate the conservation of the smaller whales, dolphins, and porpoises as well as the larger whales. At present, the IWC can collect information about the status and threats to small cetaceans and request range states to take appropriate action. The necessary follow-up to these requests needs to be monitored and encouraged by other bodies, including NGOs. In addition, there are a number of regional agreements which provide a framework for addressing the threats to the smaller cetaceans, but more are needed and effective implementation and enforcement of the existing agreements are priorities.

Create more sanctuaries and marine protected areas

Giving special legal protection to certain marine areas is an important tool in achieving the conservation of marine biodiversity, including the reduction of threats to whales and dolphins. As top predators, healthy populations of cetaceans will indicate healthy populations of their prey species, so that their conservation is important for people living and working in coastal areas. Many Marine Protected Areas will protect cetaceans that happen to be resident in them or migrate through them, but some reserves and sanctuaries have been established specifically to protect cetaceans, and many more need to be.

Encourage well managed whale-watching

Whale- and dolphin- watching is growing dramatically in many parts of the world, with over four million people taking part each year. The total annual revenue generated was estimated at over US$300 million in 1992. Providing it is well regulated so that there are no harmful effects on whale populations, its development should be encouraged both as a valuable non-consumptive sustainable replacement for whaling, and as a means of raising public interest and knowledge of whales and dolphins.

Reduce bycatches in wasteful fisheries

Reduction of fisheries bycatch is essential not only for cetaceans and other non-target species, but also for the conservation of fish stocks and the human communities that depend on them. The use of long driftnets on the high seas is already the subject of a UN moratorium, but this needs to be strictly enforced, as does the European Union ban on driftnets.

Codes of practice, technical management measures, selective fishing gear, and practices that will minimize the bycatch of non-target species are all necessary. In some cases, relatively minor changes in fishing techniques can bring about a large reduction in cetacean bycatch, as has happened in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna fishery. Such changes need rigorous observation and effective sanctions if they are to work. In other cases, the only solution will be closing fisheries in certain areas or certain seasons, or a return to less intensive fishing methods. If these measures are used, fishing communities will need government or aid agency help in making the necessary adjustments.

Reduce marine pollution

More research is needed into recent human-induced changes in the marine environment and their effects on the health and population dynamics of whales. Chemical pollution may well be one of the most serious long-term threats to cetaceans, and strict measures to limit contaminants such as DDT and PCBs entering the sea are necessary for their survival. Such measures are essential for conserving all marine life, as well as ensuring the health of fish-eating human communities.
Control and reduction of high-intensity undersea noises is also necessary, including precautionary guidelines for conducting seismic surveys in areas important for cetaceans.



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Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund For Nature