IWC scientific committee wraps up discussion on minke whales

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LONDON, July 16, Kyodo - The Scientific Committee of the International

Whaling Commission (IWC) on Monday wrapped up a two-week meeting to assess

the stock of minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean, an issue that has widened

the rift between whaling nations like Japan and those protesting whale

hunts.

 

After a one-day break, the IWC will convene four days of panel meetings --

including one to map out management guidelines for commercial whaling --

before convening a four-day annual meeting in London next Monday.

 

The Scientific Committee, where debates were conducted behind closed doors,

is expected to release its findings at the IWC meeting.

 

In 1991, the committee set the population of minke whales in the Antarctic

Ocean at 760,000, giving the Japanese whaling industry scientific grounds to

press for a resumption of commercial whaling.

 

Anti-whaling nations, however, have complained that the figure is too high,

arguing that the estimate was based on insufficient scientific data.

 

The Japanese government argues that even if the stock of minke whales is

revised down to 500,000, that would still be high enough to justify

commercial whaling.

 

The main focus of IWC panel work -- scheduled to run from Wednesday through

Saturday -- will likely be on the drafting of a set of management guidelines

under the so-called Revised Management Scheme to regulate commercial

whaling.

 

Anti-whaling IWC member countries want to give international inspectors on

board whaling ships the authority to crack down on illegal whaling. They

also want legal power to regulate whale meat markets.

 

Japan and Norway, both whaling nations, have rejected the proposals as

beyond ''common sense.''

 

 

 

 

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