Source: High North Web - News section, Oct. 9 1996.
CITES:
Norwegian Proposal to Downlist Minke Whale Stocks
Norway will propose to downlist the minke whale stocks in the North East Atlantic and in the Central North Atlantic at next years meeting between the memberstates to CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which will take place in Zimbabwe. "If the memberstates to CITES act in accordance with the criteria they have established, this proposal should be approved", director Olav Nord-Varhaug at the Norwegian Directorate for Nature says to the Norwegian newspaper "Adresseavisen", October 2, 1996.
Norway made a similar proposal at the last CITES-meeting in Fort Lauderdale, USA, but this was rejected. In the meantime newer and clearer criteria for the listing have been made and uncertainty about the abundance estimate in the North East Atlantic has been removed.. "In our view, there is no doubt that the minke whale completely satisfies the requirements for being listed on appendix II", says Olav Nord-Varhaug. The Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) reached in May 1996 consensus on an estimate of 112,000 minke whales in the North-East Atlantic, and in 1990 the Scientific Committee agreed on an estimate of 28,000 minke whales in the Central North Atlantic stock. If the quota calculation model endorsed by the IWC in 1994 resolution was employed, catch quotas for these stocks would be allocated. The quota calculation model was developed by the IWC Scientific Committee with the ensurance of sustainability as top priority.
The objective of CITES is the protection of wild fauna and flora against over-exploitation through internationa trade. All species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by trade are listed on appendix I, while all species which although not necessarily now threatened with extinction may become so unless trade is subject to strict regulations are listed on appendix II.
All minke whale stocks, except the West-Greenland stock, were listed on appendix I in 1983. The West-Greenland stock is listed on appendix II, although there is less research and thus less knowledge of this stock than the two stocks Norway will downlist.
Both Japan and Norway lodged a reservation to the listing of minke whale on appendix I, i.e. they are not bound by this decission. That means that any trade of minke whale products between Japan and Norway would be in conformity with international law. But Norway has imposed a voluntary ban on export of minke whale products.