NEWS RELEASE
Date: 1 June 2007
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UK resolution achieves agreement at International Whaling Commission
Anchorage, Canada: The UK has secured overwhelming support at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for its resolution, which aims to head off moves to relax international trade in whale products.
The UK’s resolution calls for nations to recognise that the ban on international commercial trade in whale products is vital to support the current IWC moratorium on whaling. This regulation of trade is currently being achieved under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Biodiversity Minister, Barry Gardiner, introduced the IWC resolution and he will also attend the 14th Conference of Parties to CITES (CoP14) which immediately follows the IWC. He said:
“Whales are some of the most beautiful, intelligent and mysterious creatures on the planet. It is vital that we continue to protect them by banning the international commercial trade in whale products. I will strongly oppose the proposal at CoP14 to review the whale species which are currently protected by a ban on international commercial trade. Any relaxation in trade controls is bound to put pressure on the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling and open up the possibility of illegal whaling becoming profitable and more viable.
“I am pleased that the UK gained such strong support for its call for continuedcooperation between parties of CITESand the IWC. Both organisations play an important role in the protection and conservation of whales.”
37 nations voted for the UK’s resolution, with only four voting against and four abstentions. The remaining nations declined to participate in the vote.
The UK’s resolution confirmed that the moratorium on commercial whaling remains in place; that it is a significant conservation achievement; and that the reasons for the moratorium continue to be relevant.
The resolution also affirmed that the IWC is the internationally competent organisation for the conservation and management of whale stocks, and is the primary source of information on whale stocks around the world.
Notes to editors
1) The UK strongly supports the current International Whaling Commission moratorium on commercial whaling and strongly opposes all whaling other than limited approved subsistence whaling by indigenous people.
2) The UK has lead the like-minded efforts to recruitment more countries to the IWC with a conservation agenda through our publication ‘Protecting Whales – A Global Responsibility’ (endorsed by the Prime Minister and Sir David Attenborough). We have already had success, Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Greece and Slovenia have already joined in time for this years meeting. Peru and Costa Rica have regained voting rights, and several more EU states have indicated their intention to join in time for next year’s meeting.
3) The International Whaling Commission's 59th annual meeting was held in Anchorage, USA, from Monday 28 to Thursday 31 May 2007.
4) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) controls international trade in over 30,000 endangered species, to try to ensure it is carried out in a sustainable way ensuring the long-term survival of species. The UK will be represented at the 14th Conference of CITES Parties in the Hague from 3 to 15 June 2007.
5) There is a proposal at CoP14 to review the CITES listing of cetacean species (whales and dolphins) on CITES Appendix I, the appendix which bans international trade. The UK believes that a CITES review of the status of cetacean stocks is both unnecessary and undesirable.
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Page last modified: 1 June 2007
Page published: 1 June 2007