THE PRESS FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1979. The survival of whales

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 12

THE PRESS FRIDAY, JULY 20, 1979. The survival of whales

The effect of the decisions taken at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission in London will almost certainly be that the world s whales will survive in their several species. Hunting has not been banned altogether but it has been severely restricted and a whale sanctuary has been declared in the Indian Ocean. Had commercial interests alone prevailed, many species of whales might have been extinct before the century was out. The oceans could not hide the great whales against man’s technology. Not without some prodding, the I.W.C. has moved to a view in which conservation gains most emphasis. Two major decisions which will help ensure survival of whales were taken by the meeting. The first of these was a declaration of the Indian Ocean as a whale sanctuary north of the 55 degrees south parallel for 10 years—an arrangement to be reviewed after five years. The second was a moratorium on pelagic whaling, except for minke whales. The second decision rules out the use of whaling factory ships. New Zealand voted in favour of both resolutions. Sixteen countries were in favour of the Indian Ocean sanctuary proposal: Japan, the Soviet Union, and South Korea, which are the biggest commercial whaling nations, were against it; and Brazil, Canada, and Peru abstained. Eighteen countries favoured lhe moratorium, two were against, and three abstained. The stocks of minke whales were considered sound and they were excepted from the moratorium for that reason. Further proposals included a three-year moratorium on all com-

mercial whaling and a ban on the taking of bowhead whales. Both causes were lost. New Zealand favoured them both. Eskimos catch a number of bowhead whales each year for their own use. Although the conference which was held this month put the I.W.C. in the camp of the conservationists, and not just those who favoured the management of whale stocks, the trend has been apparent for a number of years. For some time, since management procedures were introduced, the I.W.C. measured catches in “blue whale units.” This method meant that whaling countries sought the greater whales, which depleted their stocks. Now blue, right, humpback, grey, mother whales with their young, and baby whales have been protected absolutely. The method of measurement has changed and quotas were set for various whale species and divided among the whaling countries. The scientific committee of the I.W.C. has recommended quotas which have usually been adopted by a full meeting of the commission. The effect of the moratorium on whaling from factory ships will be that most of the whales caught will be sperm whales. The effect of the sanctuary will be that whaling will have to be done in the Antarctic waters south of the Indian Ocean. Further restrictions on whaling may yet be made. One of the most heartening aspects of the conservation of whales is that it is a demonstration that, in one respect at least, man is learning to live with his environment and is capable of learning to live without destroying his environment.