Secretariat note of 30/7/07
Note the version of this Resolution initially posted on the website on 30 May did not incorporate revisions
agreed by the Commission during plenary discussions. The revisions are included in this version in italics.
Resolution 2007-2
RESOLUTION ON SAFETY AT SEA AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
WHEREAS the safety of vessels and crew, the order of maritime navigation, and environmental protection, are,
and have long been, the common interests of nations worldwide;
WHEREAS the Commission and Contracting Governments support the right to legitimate and peaceful forms
of protest and demonstration;
RECALLING that the 58th Annual Meeting of the Commission adopted Resolution 2006-2 in which the
Commission agreed and declared that the Commission and its Contracting Governments did not condone any
actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea, and urged persons
and entities to refrain from such acts;
SERIOUSLY CONCERNED that certain confrontations and actions at sea relating to whaling and whale
research activities risk human life, property, the marine environment, and the order of maritime navigation, and
may lead to grave accidents;
RECOGNISING the need for all States to take actions, in accordance with relevant rules of international law
and respective national laws and regulations, to cooperate as appropriate to prevent and suppress actions that risk
human life and property at sea;
RECALLING the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea which set
uniform principles and rules for avoiding collisions at sea;
NOTING the general obligation in Article 192 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that
States protect and preserve the marine environment as well as Article 194 (1) and (5) on the need to prevent,
reduce and control pollution in the marine environment including by taking measures necessary to protect and
preserve rare or fragile ecosystems as well as the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered species and other
forms of marine life;
FURTHER NOTING that Article 197 of UNCLOS requires that States co-operate on a global basis and, as
appropriate, on a regional basis, directly or through competent international organisations, in formulating and
elaborating international rules, standards and recommended practices and procedures consistent with UNCLOS,
for the protection and preservation of the marine environment, taking into account characteristic regional
features;
MINDFUL of the fact that issues relating to confrontation between vessels at sea and in port have been
discussed by this Commission as well as in other international fora including the International Maritime
Organisation;
RECALLING applicable international instruments, including the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful
Acts against the Safety of Navigation, relating to international cooperation for the prevention of unlawful acts
against the safety of maritime navigation and actions against alleged offenders;
NOTING also that MARPOL 73/78 and in particular its Annexes I and V designate the Antarctic as a Special
Area due to the ecological importance of the fragile ecosystems of the area;
NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION
IWC59\Resolution 2007-2 1 30/07/07AGREES AND DECLARES again that the Commission and its Contracting Governments do not condone and
in fact condemn any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at
sea;
URGES persons and entities to refrain from such acts;
FURTHER URGES Contracting Governments to have regard for the importance of protecting the environment,
and in particular the fragile Antarctic environment;
URGES all Contracting Governments concerned to take appropriate measures, consistent with IMO guidelines,
in order to ensure that the substance and spirit of this Resolution are observed both domestically and
internationally;
URGES Contracting Governments to take actions, in accordance with relevant rules of international law and
respective national laws and regulations, to cooperate [ ] to prevent and suppress actions that risk human life and
property at sea and with respect to alleged offenders;
URGES Contracting Governments to cooperate in accordance with UNCLOS and other relevant instruments in
the investigation of incidents at sea including those which might pose a risk to life or the environment.

Resolution 2007-1
RESOLUTION ON JARPA
WHEREAS paragraph 7(b) of the Schedule establishes a sanctuary in the Southern Ocean;
RECALLING that the Commission has repeatedly requested Contracting Parties to refrain from issuing special
permits for research involving the killing of whales within the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, has expressed deep
concern at continuing lethal research within the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, and has also recommended that
scientific research involving the killing of cetaceans should only be permitted where critically important research
needs are addressed;
CONSCIOUS that the Scientific Committee last year convened a workshop to analyse the results of JARPA 1,
which is reported in SC/59/REP 1;
NOTING that the Workshop agreed that none of the goals of JARPA 1 had been reached, and that the results of
the JARPA 1 programme are not required for management under the RMP;
FURTHER NOTING that the Government of Japan has authorised a new special permit programme in the
Antarctic, JARPA II, in which the take of minke whales has been more than doubled, and fin whales and
humpback whales have been added to the list of targeted species;
CONCERNED that fin whales in the Southern Hemisphere are currently classified as endangered, and that
humpback whales in the JARPA II research area may include individuals from depleted breeding populations
overwintering in the waters of certain Pacific Islands;
CONVINCED that the aims of JARPA II do not address critically important research needs;
NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION
CALLS UPON the Government of Japan to address the 31 recommendations listed in Appendix 4 of Annex O
of the Scientific Committee report relating to the December 2006 review of the JARPA I programme to the
satisfaction of the Scientific Committee;
FURTHER CALLS UPON the Government of Japan to suspend indefinitely the lethal aspects of JARPA II
conducted within the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Accepting that:
(1) the IWC is at a crossroads beset by fundamental disagreements as to its nature and purpose;
(2) the future course of the IWC needs to be defined by broad agreement;
Recalling that:
(1) by consensus IWC 60 decided to form a Small Working Group on the Future of the IWC-
(Annex B of IWC/60/24);
(2) the Small Working Group had not been able to reach its ambitious goal of agreeing on a package or
packages on the future of the IWC for the Commission’s review by IWC61 but had recommended that
‘the efforts underway should be continued for a further year and decisions taken at IWC 62”.
Accordingly, by consensus the Commission resolves to:
(1) intensify its efforts to conclude a package or packages by IWC62 (2010) at the latest;
(2) reconfirm the principles that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and that any package
must be seen as fair and balanced;
(3) build upon the concept of a two-phase process and the progress reported in IWC/61/6;
(4) reconfirm that discussion of the core issues will be conducted without prejudice to the
principles held by IWC members;
(5) reconstitute the Small Working Group for a further year under its original terms of reference;
and
(6) modify the modus operandi as outlined below:
(a) The process will follow the principles outlined at IWC 61:
(i) recognise the advantages of miniaturisation and an effective communication system ;
(ii) involve delegations that are empowered to engage in constructive discussions aimed at
reaching agreement by consensus; and
(iii) allow the IWC Chair, at their discretion, to schedule a closed open-ended negotiating
session or sessions when the circumstances are deemed to be ripe;
(b) The IWC Chair, in consultation with the Advisory Committee, shall appoint a Support Group
containing equitable geographic and socio-economic representation, and range of views to assist
him/her in providing direction to the process and to assist in the preparation of material for
submission to the Small Working Group;(c) The Small Working Group shall operate on the same basis as the Commission with respect to
being open to observers;
(d) The Chair of the IWC shall develop, in consultation with the Support Group, a communication
plan to ensure that Contracting Governments and civil society receive, full and timely information on
the progress of the process;
(e) The Chair of the IWC, in consultation with the Support Group, may appoint independent outside
experts and/or facilitators in order to assist the Small Working Group process.
(f) The Small Working Group will submit its final report to the Commission at least five weeks prior
to IWC 62;
(7) continue to work on remaining ‘category (a) and (b)’ issues in accordance with Annexes E
and F of IWC/61/6, to be completed no later than the end of the interim 5-year period.

WHEREAS the Commission has adopted Resolutions regarding the impact of
environmental changes on cetaceans since 1980;1
NOTING that the Commission decided in 1993 that the Scientific Committee should give
priority to research on the effects of environmental changes on cetaceans in order to
provide the best scientific advice for the Commission to determine appropriate response
strategies to these new challenges;
NOTING that the Scientific Committee identified the priority issues for cetaceans of
climate/environmental change, ozone depletion and UV-B radiation, chemical pollution,
impact of noise, physical and biological habitat degradation, effects of fisheries, disease
and mortality events;
APPRECIATIVE of the efforts to date of the Scientific Committee to understand the
impact of environmental changes, starting with workshops on chemical pollution and
climate change/ozone depletion in 1995 and 1996 resulting in the development of long-
term, multi-disciplinary, multi-national research programmes;
AWARE that knowledge about climate change has advanced substantially since the first
IWC workshop in 1996 and that since that time, unequivocal greenhouse-gas induced
global warming has been demonstrated, often at rates exceeding some worst-case
modelling scenarios;
NOTING work by other international fora on climate change and its impacts on wildlife,
ecosystems, and human society;
WELCOMING the report of the Costa Rica Workshop on Cetaceans and Other Marine
Biodiversity of the Eastern Tropical Pacific held in February 2009;
WELCOMING the Report of the February 2009 International Whaling Commission
Scientific Committee (IWC SC) workshop on cetaceans and Climate Change
(SC/61/Rep4);
CONCERNED that, as stated by the IWC SC workshop, “climate-related changes will
impact negatively on at least some species and populations, especially those with small
and/or restricted ranges, those already impacted by other human activities and those in
environments subject to the most rapid change .... For these species there is a real
potential for elevated risks of extinction.”

The Commission therefore:
ENDORSES the outcome of the climate change workshop and associated
recommendations of the Scientific Committee given in IWC/61/Rep1, including the need
to expand the current international multi-disciplinary efforts and collaborative work with
other relevant bodies;
REQUESTS Contracting Governments to incorporate climate change considerations into
existing conservation and management plans;
DIRECTS the Scientific Committee to continue its work on studies of climate change and
the impacts of other environmental changes on cetaceans, as appropriate;
CALLS on Contracting Governments, IGOs and NGOs to support the expansion of this
important work;
REQUESTS the Secretariat to forward this resolution and the workshop report
(SC/61/Rep 4) to relevant bodies and meetings including inter alia the World Climate
Conference, the UNFCCC and the IPCC in time for upcoming meetings; and
APPEALS to all Contracting Governments to take urgent action to reduce the rate and
extent of climate change.

1 See Resolutions 1980-Appendix 10; 1981–Appendix 7; 1992–Appendix 2; 1993–Appendix 12; 1993–
Appendix 13; 1994-13; 1995-10; 1996-8; 1997-7; 1998-5; 1998-6; 1999-5; 2000-6; 2000-7; and 2001-10.2

WHEREAS the safety of vessels and crew, the order of maritime navigation, and environmental protection, are, and have long been, the common interests of nations worldwide;
WHEREAS the Commission and Contracting Governments support the right to legitimate and peaceful forms of protest and demonstration;
RECALLING that the 58th Annual Meeting of the Commission adopted Resolution 2006-2 in which the Commission agreed and declared that the Commission and its Contracting Governments did not condone any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea, and urged persons and entities to refrain from such acts;
ALSO RECALLING that the 59th Annual Meeting of the Commission adopted Resolution 2007-2 in which the Commission urged its Contracting Governments to take actions, in accordance with relevant rules of international law and respective national laws and regulations, to cooperate to prevent and suppress actions that risk human life and property at sea and with respect to alleged offenders, and to cooperate in accordance with UNCLOS and other relevant instruments in the investigation of incidents at sea including those which might pose a risk to life or the environment;
REAFFIRMING the statement on safety at sea made at the Commission’s Intersessional Meeting held in Heathrow, UK, 6-8 March, 2008, which noted reports of dangerous actions by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) in the Southern Ocean directed against Japanese vessels, called upon the SSCS to refrain from dangerous actions that jeopardise safety at sea, and on vessels and crews concerned to exercise restraint, condemned any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea, and again urged Contracting Governments to take actions, in accordance with relevant rules of international law and respective national laws and regulations, to cooperate to prevent and suppress actions that risk human life and property at sea and with respect to alleged offenders;
NOTING the expectation of Contracting Governments that all concerned parties will comply with relevant rules of international law and respective national laws and regulations regarding safety at sea irrespective of the positions of Contracting Governments on whaling;
NOTING statements from the Government of Japan that it decided to withdraw its vessels from the Southern Ocean much earlier than originally scheduled in the 2010/11 season in order to secure the safety of the vessels and lives of their crew members in response to dangerous actions by the SSCS;
NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION,
AGREES AND DECLARES again that the Commission and its Contracting Governments do not condone and in fact condemn any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea;
RECOGNIZES the primacy of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on safety at sea, and that its Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) adopted on 17 May 2010 at its 87th session the Resolution MSC. 303 (87) titled “Assuring Safety during Demonstrations, Protest or Confrontations on the High Seas” which condemned any actions that intentionally imperil human life, the marine environment, or property during demonstrations, protests or confrontations on the high seas and called upon Governments to urge, among others:
1. persons and entities under their jurisdiction to refrain from actions that intentionally imperil human life, the marine environment, or property during demonstrations, protests or confrontations on the high seas;
2. all vessels entitled to fly their flag to comply with the applicable instruments adopted by the IMO directed at safety of navigation, security and safety of life at sea; and
3. all vessels, during demonstrations, protests or confrontations on the high seas, to comply with COLREG and SOLAS by taking all steps to avoid collisions and safeguard navigation, security and safety of life at sea;
AGREES that the resolution of differences on issues regarding whales and whaling should not be pursued through violent actions that risk human life and property at sea;
URGES all Contracting Governments concerned to call on the masters of all vessels to take responsibility for ensuring that safety at sea is their highest priority and to strictly observe international collision avoidance regulations.
URGES all Contracting Governments concerned to continue to take actions, in accordance with relevant rules of international law and respective national laws and regulations, to cooperate to prevent and suppress actions that risk human life and property at sea and with respect to alleged offenders;
CONTINUES TO URGE Contracting Governments to cooperate in accordance with UNCLOS and other relevant instruments in the investigation of incidents at sea including those which might pose a risk to life or the environment;
FURTHER URGES all Contracting Governments concerned to take appropriate measures, consistent with relevant IMO instruments, in order to ensure that the substance and spirit of this Resolution are observed both domestically and internationally.

Resolution 2011-1
ON IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OPERATIONS WITHIN THE
INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION
RECALLING Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration that calls upon States inter alia to facilitate and encourage public
awareness and participation by making information widely available;
AWARE of the importance of transparency in international law;
FURTHER RECALLING the adoption at its 53rd Annual Meeting of Resolution 2001-1 on transparency within the
International Whaling Commission (IWC);
AWARE that since then, international law and practice relating to transparency and participation in international
decision-making have continued to develop, with the coming into force of relevant conventions at the global and
regional level;
RECOGNISING the good practice that has developed under the rules of procedure, financial rules and working
methods and in the effective operation of the Conferences or Meetings of Parties under multilateral agreements on
matters of inter alia reporting of proceedings, participation of observers and good financial governance;
CONSIDERING effectiveness in the operations of the Commission continues to be of vital importance in maintaining
the authority and legitimacy which the Commission needs to fulfil its mandate;
FURTHER CONSIDERING that there are a number of areas where the operations of the Commission could benefit
from enhanced transparency, including relations between the Commission and its members, procedures for reaching,
recording and announcing decisions, and procurement of scientific advice;
BELIEVING that effectiveness can be enhanced in these areas without placing undue administrative burdens on
member governments, the Secretariat, or committees of the Commission;
RECOGNISING that the Commission's Scientific Committee regularly reviews its own procedures with a view to
improving its effectiveness; and
MINDFUL of the need for the Commission to consider the procedures applying under other international agreements
for providing assistance for the participation in international conferences or meetings of delegates, given article III.5 of
the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (“the Convention”);
NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:
RESOLVES that Commission procedures should be brought into line with current international good practice so as to
improve the effectiveness of the operations of the organisation;
ADOPTS the amendments to the Rules of Procedure and the Financial Regulations contained in the Annex to this
Resolution;
REQUESTS the Secretary to report 100 days before the 64th Annual Meeting of the Commission on potential options
for providing assistance to member governments with limited means to participate actively in the Commission’s work,
while retaining consistency with the Convention;
REQUESTS the Scientific Committee to continue its practice of reviewing its operations and Rules of Procedure with a
view to enhancing the effectiveness of its operations;
REQUESTS the Secretary to convene a working group of Contracting Governments and observers immediately prior
to IWC64 to consider the role of observers at meetings of the Commission based on experience gained in that regard at
IWC63;
RESOLVES to include the effectiveness of the operations of the IWC as a regular item or sub-item on the
Commission’s agenda, to ensure that the Commission’s rules and procedures are kept up to date in line with
international good practice, and to address any specific problems or issues arising in the operation of the Commission.

RECALLING the terms of Article III.5 of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, whereby "the expenses of each member of the Commission and of his experts and advisers shall be determined and paid by his own Government";

RECOGNISING that a large number of developing countries are members of the IWC and that some have financial difficulties that limit their full participation in the work of the IWC;

DESIRING, within the terms of the Convention, to ensure the fullest possible participation of all Contracting Governments in the work of the Commission;

RECOGNISING that financial assistance to strengthen the scientific and technical capacity of member governments to participate fully in the work of other intergovernmental organizations is provided by other intergovernmental organizations; and

RECALLING the voluntary financial support provided to Contracting Governments in Capacity to Pay Groups 1 and 2 during the special meetings of the Small Working Group tasked with advancing the ‘Future of the IWC’ process;

NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:

DECIDES to create a ‘Voluntary Assistance Fund’ so as to facilitate Contracting Governments in Capacity to Pay Groups 1 and 2 that are not EU Member States or members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, (hereinafter eligible Groups 1 and 2 Governments), to participate fully in the work of the Commission;

DECIDES that the sources of the Fund shall be voluntary contributions obtained from Contracting Governments or from national or international bodies or entities interested in facilitating eligible Groups 1 and 2 Governments to participate fully in the work of the Commission;

DECIDES that for reasons of fair representation, Contracting Governments that are willing to contribute to the Fund shall not place individual country-specific restrictions on the choice of beneficiaries of their contributions and shall not specifically finance participation by means other than contributions to the Fund;

DECIDES that payments from the Fund shall be made in accordance with the lesser of the amount provided for in the International Civil Service Commission’s Daily Subsistence Allowance and UN travel rules, or the amount provided for in the domestic rules of the eligible Groups 1 and 2 Governments, and shall ensure that all beneficiaries are treated in the same way;

DECIDES that the initial capital of the Fund shall be the amount of voluntary contributions provided for support of developing countries during the ‘Future of the IWC’ process that remain unspent;

ENCOURAGES Contracting Governments and INVITES others in a position to do so, to make contributions to the Fund;

REQUESTS the Secretary with advice from the Bureau to administer the Fund subject to the financial regulations and audit rules of the Commission, giving priority to eligible Group 1 Governments;

REQUESTS the Secretary to provide timely estimates to the Commission of the funding required to facilitate the full participation of eligible Groups 1 and 2 Governments in the work of the Commission, as well as of the balance available in the Fund and to indicate any shortfall;

DECIDES that the Fund shall be available to the eligible Groups 1 and 2 Governments to participate fully in the Commission’s work based on guidelines for the administration of funding in Annex 2;

DECIDES that these guidelines should be kept under review and further amendments be proposed to the Commission as appropriate to ensure effective prioritisation and use of available funds in a manner consistent with Article lll(5) of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

DECIDES that a review of the performance of the Fund shall take place at the 69th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission;

ADOPTS the amendments to its Financial Regulations and an additional Appendix thereto, as contained in Annexes 1 and 2 to this Resolution.

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AWARE that there exist differences in views between member states on the regulatory competence of the IWC with regard to small cetaceans, and noting that this Resolution does not seek in any way to prejudice different members' positions;

NOTING that the biology ofvaquita and concerns about incidental mortality in the shark and totoaba fishery were first mentioned in the published report of the IWC Scientific Committee's first meeting on small cetaceans,

Montreal, 1974 (IWC, 1975).i

NOTING that the Commission first passed Resolution 1994-3, which acknowledged the immediate need to eliminate incidental catches of vaquita throughout the entire range of the species;

AWARE that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the vaquita as Critically Endangered in 1996, and the population has significantly declined since then as a result of bycatch in entangling fishing nets (gillnets);

RECALLING IWC Resolution 2007-5 which urged members of the IWC and the world community to support Mexico's efforts to prevent the extinction of the vaquita by reducing bycatch to zero in the immediate future and assisting in providing financial resources and technical as well as socio- economic expertise;

RECALLING the repeated recommendations of the IWC Scientific Committee, the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA) and the IUCN that gillnets must be eliminated from the vaquita's range in order to reduce bycatch to zero;

CONCERNED about the recent escalation of the illegal totoaba fishery and the illegal international trade of totoaba swim bladders, which has precipitated a dramatic decline in vaquita numbers over the last five years;

DEEPLY CONCERNED that the estimated total abundance of vaquitas in 2015 was 59 (95% Cl 22- 145), compared to previous estimates of 567 (95% Cl 177-1,073) in 1997 and 245 (95% Cl 68-884) in 2008;

FURTHER CONCERNED that at leastthreevaquita were killed by totoaba gillnets in March 2016, despite strong enforcement efforts in the Upper Gulfof California;

NOTING the Scientific Committee's strong endorsement of the recommendations contained in the June 2016 CIRVA-7 report;ii

NOTING the recent adoption of IUCN Resolution 013 on "Actions to avert the extinction ofthe vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus)" and CITES Decision 17.Xa ''Totoaba - Totoaba macdonaldi - Opportunities for international collaboration within the CITES framework"

RECOGNISING the hardships faced by the fishing communities of the Upper Gulf in light of the gillnet ban, and mindful of the need to develop and support alternative livelihoods such that these communities can overcome these challenges;

NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:

EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN that the vaquita numbers less than 59 animals and is facing imminent extinction;

AFFIRMS that only a permanent, complete, and effective gillnet ban in all fisheries operating in the Upper Gulf of California will prevent the imminent extinction of the vaquita;

COMMENDS the Mexican Government for the Strategy on the Comprehensive Care of the Upper Gulf of California that includes an interagency enforcement programme, a two-year gillnet ban (from May 2015), compensation for fishermen and those who work in fishery-related activities and the development of alternative fishing gear;

COMMENDS the Mexican Government on the announcement of a permanent ban on gillnets in the Upper Gulf of California gillnet exclusion zone from April 2017 and the programme to remove derelict fishing gear in the Upper Gulfof California.

URGES the Mexican Government to eliminate any exemptions to the ban, which can facilitate illegal fishing for totoaba, and to prohibit the use of any gillnets within the range of the vaquita;

ENDORSES the recommendations of the IWC Scientific Committee, in particular the urgent need to strengthen enforcement efforts against illegal fishing in Mexico and totoaba smuggling out of Mexico and into transit and destination countries; the urgent need to remove active and ghost gillnets from the range of the vaquita; and the need to maintain the acoustic monitoring programme as a key action in support of any recovery strategy;

URGES all Contracting Governments to follow the recommendations in CITES Decision 17. xa and strengthen enforcement actions to eliminate the illegal international trade in totoaba swim bladders, in particular those countries where totoaba products are consumed or in transit, including the United States and China;

URGES Contracting Governments to support Mexico's efforts to prevent the extinction of the vaquita by assisting in providing financial resources as well as technical and socio-economic expertise;

REQUESTS the IWC Secretary to forward a copy of this Resolution to the CITES, FAO and IUCN Secretariats 

ACKNOWLEDGING that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have identified the adverse effects of pollution from mercury as a serious problem worldwide for human health and the environment.

WELCOMING the adoption in 2013 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the objective of which is to protect human health and the environment from the anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

AWARE that cetaceans which have a worldwide distribution in marine and freshwater ecosystems, can act as sentinels of ecosystem change and are vulnerable to environmental contaminants such as methylmercury.

AWARE of the "AMAP Assessment of Mercury in the Arctic" (2011) and of the "AMAP Assessment of Human Health in the Arctic" (2015) carried out by expert working groups of the Arctic Council, which drew attention to the adverse effects of persistent contaminants, in particular mercury pollution, on Arctic human populations;

RECOGNISING that the Commission has adopted several Resolutions1 expressing concerns on the negative impacts of environmental degradation on cetaceans including in respect to mercury;

RECALLING Resolutions 1996-8, 1998-11, 2000-6, 2001-10 and 2014-2 that foster collaboration between the IWC and other intergovernmental organisations related to pollution, among others;

ALSO RECALLING the precautionary approach enunciated in the Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (UNEP, June 1992);

CONSIDERING that the IWC has a continuing role to play in monitoring and providing guidance on scientific research related to levels of mercury in cetaceans;

WELCOMING the results of the POLLUTION 2000+ research programme, endorsed by the IWC at its 65st Annual Meeting;

MINDFUL that the IWC with its specific responsibility in the management and conservation of whale stocks may have an interest in cooperating with other intergovernmental organisations with common concerns.

NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:

WELCOMES the adoption of the Minamata Convention and encourages its effective implementation;

DECIDES to seek collaboration with the Conference of the Parties of the Minamata Convention to exchange information, contribute in monitoring mercury levels in cetaceans and advance progress for the protection of cetacean health and related issues;

INVITES Contracting Governments, as well as relevant intergovernmental organisations, to promote non­ lethal scientific research programmes related to monitoring the presence and trends in levels of mercury and mercury compounds observed in cetacean populations as indicators of ocean health and to continue providing available data to the Scientific Committee on this matter;

INVITES ALSO Contracting Governments to co-operate together and with the WHO to assess the impact of mercury and mercury compounds on human health and on the marine environment including the provision of related monitoring data.

REQUESTS the Scientific Committee to provide at IWC67 a summary of the current state of knowledge on the presence of heavy metals, with emphasis on mercury compounds, in cetaceans worldwide, and to identify areas of ocean health and human health concerns, and geographic areas where research should be prioritised in this regard; and

REQUESTS that the Secretariat share this Resolution with the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention and seeks ways to collaborate with its objectives.

1 Resolutions 2012-1, 2001-10, 2000-7, 2000-6, 1999-4, 1998·11, 1998-5, 1 997·7, 1996-8, 1995·1 0, 1994-13,

1993-13, 1 993-12, 1993·11 and 1981-7

ACKNOWLEDGING that cetaceans make significant contributions to ecosystem functioning that are beneficial for the natural environment and people;

RECOGNISING the need to integrate the values of biodiversity and the contributions made by cetaceans to ecosystem functioning into decision-making processes related to the conservation and management of cetacean populations;

FURTHER RECOGNISING the ever increasing understanding of the value of cetaceans from a social, economic and ecological perspective;

ALSO FURTHER RECOGNISING that the Commission has identified the importance of research on the effects of environmental changes on cetaceans due to increasing threats faced by cetaceans, including climate change, pollution, ship strikes, and entanglement among others;

AWARE that increasing scientific evidence suggests that whales enhance ecosystem productivity by concentrating nitrogen and iron near the surface through the release of faecal plumes, in some cases equivalent to that required to support localised prey consumption, such as has been reported for blue whales, sperm whales and humpback whales among others;

2. CONSIDERING that, because of their large size, live whales represent an important store of carbon while their carcasses efficiently export carbon from the surface waters to the deep sea. These carcasses also serve as important feeding opportunities for a variety of deep sea species, many of which are exclusively found on such "whale falls", thus creating small but significant ecosystems on their own and contributing to biodiversity in great depths;

ALSO CONSIDERING that iron defecated by whales may contribute to the stimulation of carbon export into the Southern Ocean and thus whales may play a role in regulating atmospheric CO2 levels;

RECALLING Resolution 2001-9, which acknowledged that better understanding of marine ecosystems would contribute to the conservation and management of living marine resources, and prioritised the study of interactions between whales and fish stocks; and

NOTING the wide collaboration of the IWC with other international governmental conventions and organisations.

NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION:

ACKNOWLEDGES increasing scientific data suggesting that whales enhance nutrient availability for primary production;

RECOGNISES the need to include consideration of the contributions made by live cetaceans and carcasses present in the ocean to marine ecosystem functioning in conservation, management strategies and decision making;

ENCOURAGES Contracting Governments to work constructively towards integrating considerations related to the role played by live cetaceans in regulating and supporting ecosystem functioning, in future decisions, agreements and resolutions;

RESOLVES to review the ecological, management, environmental, social and economical aspects related to the contributions of cetaceans to ecosystem functioning to people and natural systems, as a matter of importance;

DIRECTS the Conservation Committee to undertake the review previously identified and directs the Conservation and Scientific Committees to further incorporate the contribution made by live cetaceans to ecosystem functioning into their work;

ASKS the Scientific Committee to screen the existing research studies on the contribution of cetaceans to ecosystem functioning, to develop a gap analysis regarding research and to develop a plan for remaining research needs; and

DECIDES to increase collaboration and co-operation with governmental and non-governmental, regional, and international organisations to work on the contributions made by live cetaceans to ecosystem functioning issues, including the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, among others.