Resolution 2001-3

Resolution 2001-3
Resolution on Western North Pacific Gray Whale
RECALLING that the Commission passed a Resolution on Small Populations of Highly Endangered Whales
(Resolution 1999-7) at its 51st (1999) meeting, which included the western North Pacific gray whale stock;
CONCERNED that IUCN listed the western gray whale as “critically endangered” in 2000 because of its geographic
and genetic isolation combined with the small population size and possibility that fewer than 50 reproductive
individuals exist;
ALARMED by the report of the 2001 Scientific Committee report that the population is less than 100 whales with
only 12 adult females bearing calves, observation of “skinny” whales for the first time in 1999, lower than expected
number of calves in 2000, some of the few calves produced in recent years are not returning to the feeding grounds,
and all recent calves born in the population were males;
WELCOMING the Scientific Committee recommendation that as a matter of absolute urgency that long-term
research and management for western North Pacific gray whales be continued and expanded;
COMMENDING the progress made by the joint Russian-American research and monitoring programmes and the
various groups supporting these efforts;
NOTING the management recommendations of the 2001 Scientific Committee which stresses that it is a matter of
absolute urgency that every effort be made to reduce anthropogenic mortality to zero and to reduce various types of
anthropogenic disturbances to the lowest possible level;
FURTHER NOTING the unique opportunity to continue the long-term in-depth study of one of the world’s most
endangered whale populations and the valuable insight the work on western gray whales has to better understand the
dynamics of other populations of critically endangered whale populations.
NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:
CALLS UPON range states and others to continue to actively pursue all practicable actions to eliminate
anthropogenic mortality in this stock and to minimize anthropogenic disturbances in the migration corridor and on
their breeding and feeding grounds;
URGES range states and others interested in the western gray whale stock to strongly support an expanded research,
monitoring and management program for the whales;
ENDORSES all conclusions and recommendations of the 2001 Scientific Committee on western gray whales
including that “every effort must be made to reduce anthropogenic mortality (including directed catches) to zero and
to reduce various types of anthropogenic disturbances to the lowest possible level”.
REQUESTS range states for this species and the other stocks noted in Resolution 1999-7 to report back to the
Scientific Committee at the IWC 54 (2002), and annually thereafter, on progress made on the above conservation
and management recommendations.