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Next year, the meeting will be held in London between July 23-27, 2001 at the Novotel Hotel, Hammersmith. When no country proposes to host the meeting, it is held somewhere in UK.
After a secret ballot it was decided that the annual meeting in 2002 will be hosted by the Japanese city Shimonoseki. Nineteen votes were cast in favour of Japan’s invitation, and 10 in favour of the invitation extended by New Zealand.
The newly elected Chairman of the IWC is Swedish Commissioner Bo Fernholm. He follows the outgoing Commissioner for Ireland, Michael Canny, who has completed his three year term of office. Fernholm has been the Vice Chairman for the last three years.
The Commissioner for Denmark, Mr Henrik Fischer was elected as the new Vice Chairman. Mr Fischer was challenged by Commissioner David Joseph of Antigua & Barbuda. However the final vote was Fischer 19 votes, Joseph 12 votes, Abstentions 1.
Further changes to the IWC include the retirement of Dr Ray Gambell who has been Secretary since 1976. Dr Gambell will be replaced by Dr Nicola Grandy.
The 13th consecutive request from Japan for a relief quota of 50 minke whales for its coastal whalers was turned down again this year.
The more moderate anti-whalers yesterday tabled a resolution to fast-track the completion of the Revised Management Scheme.
Many delegates were surprised that there were so few anti-whaling protesters outside the meeting-venue, particularly in light of the very strong stance the government of Australia has taken against whaling.
In a further resolution, the IWC today asked Canada to refrain from issuing hunting permits for bowhead whales and to re-join the IWC.
No catch quotas were allocated, neither for aboriginal subsistence or commercial purposes.
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