Skip to main content
Type
Resolution
Status
Adopted

Share meeting

Keywords
Fishery
Full text

WHEREAS the Commission gratefully acknowledges the contributions made by the Government of Japan and Japanese scientists in providing fishery and biological information on striped dolphins to the Scientific Committee in recent years;

WHEREAS the Scientific Committee noted the lack of firm information on stock structure of striped dolphins in Japanese waters and encouraged age determination and genetic analyses be carried out;

WHEREAS the Commission notes the significance of the striped dolphin catches in the Japanese drive fishery;

WHEREAS the mean annual catches of striped dolphins in the drive fisheries have declined from 7,558 in the 1960s, to 6,295 in the 1970s, to 4,070 in the 1980s, to about 835 in the early 1990s; WHEREAS the Scientific Committee was particularly concerned at the increase in the hand harpoon fishery catch from 1991 to 1992;

WHEREAS the Scientific Committee has expressed concern since the mid 1970s that takes of striped dolphins in the drive fishery have sharply declined over the years and concluded in 1981 that this has been caused by the over-exploitation of the coastal population of striped dolphins;

WHEREAS the Scientific Committee reiterated its concern of last year that the population cannot support continued exploitation at the current level and its longstanding concern regarding the status of the striped dolphin taken in the coastal waters of Japan;

WHEREAS the Scientific Committee repeated last year's recommendation regarding an interim halt;

WHEREAS the Commission is aware of the differences in views among member states on the regulatory competence of the International Whaling Commission with regard to small cetaceans, and noting that this resolution does not does in any way to prejudice different members positions;

Now, THEREFORE, the Commission INVITES the Japanese Government:

1. to consider the advice from the Scientific Committee including research needs as a matter of urgency;

2. to take appropriate action as soon as possible that will allow recovery of the population;

3. to consider appropriate action regarding other species of small cetaceans taken in the drive fishery individually and on a scientific basis;

4. to report on progress made to the 46th meeting of the IWC.