Japan: Whale Research in the Antarctic Ocean

One object of the research programme is to carry out whale sighting surveys in the Antarctic Ocean. Another involves biological sampling in order to collect data on minke whale biology. These samples will be used to analyze stock identity, age composition, information on maturity, breeding, nutrition, effects of pollution, hormone levels and parasites.

“The sample size has been carefully calculated to achieve a sufficient data base for the research, and in proportion to the annual reproduction capacity of minke whales in the Antarctic, the sample size of 400 (± 10%) is an extremely small number,” says Shigeko Misaki, counsellor at the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research. The Antarctic population of minke whales has been assessed by the IWC Scientific Committee as numbering at least 760,000.

Among other purposes of the research programme we find the collection of meteorological, oceanographic and environmental data; the collection of biopsy samples and natural marking records; satellite tracking of whale migration; and the collection of data on the behavioral patterns of large whales such as the blue whale.

The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling allows IWC member governments to issue special whaling permits for scientific purposes, notwithstanding other provisions of the Convention. The Convention encourages the member states to “organize studies and investigations relating to whales and whaling”, Article IV (1), as this is “indispensable to sound and constructive management of the whale fisheries”, Article VIII (4).

Despite this, the IWC plenary has adopted non-binding resolutions asking member nations to refrain from research whaling for other objectives than those necessary in the assessment of whale abundance.

Anti-whaling groups are protesting the research whaling, claiming that it is commercial whaling in disguise and that the meat ends up in Japanese restaurants.

But as Japan can point out, the Whaling Convention requires member states to process as far as practicable any whales taken under the special scientific permits. According to Misaki, the meat and blubber are sold under the surveillance of the Japanese authorities and fairly distributed among the locations where whale products are still in demand. “These sales are used to supplement the huge research costs of this large-scale scientific field project on whales. The research is conducted with considerable deficits, and the Government funding is not sufficient to cover the costs,” Misaki explains.

She further states: “It is obvious from its Preamble that management for conservation and for rational utilization of whale stocks are the basic concepts of the Whaling Convention. Our research is to fulfil this obligation for management. For achievement of scientific management, both lethal and non-lethal methods are utilized in our programme.”