Resolution 2001-5

Resolution 2001-5
Resolution on Commercial Whaling
WHEREAS the Commission has established zero catch limits for commercial whaling in paragraph 10(e) of the
Schedule;
CONCERNED that the Government of Norway, having lodged an objection to paragraph 10 (e) of the Schedule, has
continued unilaterally to authorise commercial whaling on minke whales, despite IWC Resolutions 1995-5, 1996-5,
1997-3, and 1998-1, and numerous statements read into the records of the Commission calling on it to halt
immediately all whaling activities under its jurisdiction;
CONCERNED ALSO that, despite IWC Resolutions 1992-4 and 1993-3, and contrary to the precautionary approach,
the Government of Norway has opted to employ a less conservative “tuning level” in the setting of its quotas, as
opposed to the “high tuning level” of 0.72 accepted by the Commission; in effect implementing a self-determined
version of the Revised Management Procedure (RMP) prior to incorporation of the Revised Management Scheme
into the Schedule;
RECALLING that the IWC has passed numerous resolutions (IWC Resolutions 1994-7; 1995-6; 1996-3; 1997-2 and
1998-8 and 1999-6) welcoming the continuing cooperation between CITES and the IWC on issues related to trade in
whale products, and urging all governments to continue to support IWC and CITES obligations with respect to this
issue;
COGNISANT that all species of whales in the Schedule to the IWC have been listed in Appendix I of CITES (with
the exception of the West Greenland stock of minke whales, which is listed in Appendix II of CITES); and that by
virtue of the inclusion of these species in Appendix I, CITES requires that Parties not issue any import or export
permits for whale stocks for which the IWC has set zero catch limits;
CONCERNED that the Government of Norway, having lodged a reservation to the CITES Appendix I listing of
whales, has announced its intention to resume international trade in minke whale products despite the decision by the
CITES Conference of the Parties in 2000 to support the continued listing of minke whales on Appendix I;
CONCERNED also at recent reports confirming high levels of contaminants in samples of blubber from minke
whales taken in the Norwegian hunt;
NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:
REQUESTS that the Government of Norway refrain from issuing export pemits for whale products;
CALLS UPON the Government of Norway to reconsider its less conservative “tuning level” in the setting of its
quotas; and
CALLS UPON the Government of Norway to reconsider its objection to paragraph 10 (e) and to halt immediately all
whaling activities under its jurisdiction; and
INSTRUCTS THE Secretariat to forward a copy of this resolution to the CITES Secretariat.