Summary on the voting at the International Whaling Committee (IWC) meeting held in St. Kitts from June 16th to 20th

 

June 16, 2006

Japan proposed to remove from the agenda any discussion on the Scientific Committee’s report on small cetaceans (dolphins, orcas, porpoises), because Japan does not believe small cetaceans fall within the scope of the IWC.  The proposal failed by two votes, 30-32 with one abstention.   

Japan proposed to implement secret ballots.  That failed by three votes, 30-33 with one abstention.

June 17, 2006

Japan proposed to partially reopen commercial whaling and annually kill up to 150 minke whales from the Okhotsk Sea-West Pacific stock for three years.  That failed to gain a simple majority (though they needed a ¾ majority); with the final tally being 30 for and 31 against with 4 abstentions.  After this defeat, Japan’s proposal to kill up to 150 Bryde’s whales annually from the Western Stock of the North Pacific was withdrawn.

June 18, 2006

Brazil and Argentina proposed the creation of a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary that would allow countries in the region to “make profit in the service sector for non-lethal use” of whales.  This was attacked by Japan and their allies, so Brazil and Argentina did not put the proposal to a vote.   

Japan proposed the elimination of the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, where it has already killed thousands of minke whales for “scientific” purposes.  Japan lost - 28 voted for the elimination of the sanctuary, 33 were against and there were 4 abstentions. 

There was a move to vote on the St. Kitts and Nevis Declaration, which proposed the resumption of commercial whaling.  This declaration passed; 33 in favour, 32 against with one abstention.  The validity of the Declaration is unclear, since it was not a formal   resolution.  Further, a declaration is not a statement of policy and the commercial moratorium can only be lifted with a ¾ majority.

Please see: St. Kitts and Nevis Declaration

Source: Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org

             Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society: www.wdcs.org