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Objective
The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) was agreed to in 1946. The objective of the Convention as stated in its preamble is to provide "for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry." The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the body appointed by the ICRW to carry out the management of whaling pursuant to the Convention. Management decisions require a three-quarters majority and form part of the Schedule, which is an Appendix to the Convention. In many ways, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) was ahead of its time. It was one of the first international agreements for the management of renewable resources that was based on the principle of sustainable use. However, it was several decades before the convention came close to fulfilling its purpose. In the 1940s, 1950s and well into the 1960s, whaling was still an important industry for a number of countries. Whaling nations of the time blocked proposals for reductions in catch quotas at the IWC. They were aware that it was necessary to reduce catches, but were unable to agree among themselves on how to share the reductions. Over-exploitation of whale stocks continued. In the 1970s and until the IWC was turned into a protectionist organisation in the 1980s, the IWC lived up to its purpose and set sustainable whale catch quotas based on scientific advice. In order to furnish the IWC with recommendations, a Scientific
Committee was appointed. For
further reading:
The
International Whaling Commission today, Ray Gambell, Secretary to the IWC
Whaling
and international law, William T. Burke
The
purpose of the IWC and guidelines for its decisions
Text
of The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling Print
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