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The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was signed in 1946 and it is the International Whaling Commission’s founding document.

The Convention includes a legally binding Schedule which, amongst other things, sets out catch limits for commercial and aboriginal subsistence whaling.  The Schedule is an integral part of the Convention, but its provisions, for example catch limits, may be amended by the Commission.  In practice, amendments to the Schedule are almost always agreed at the Commission’s biennial meetings.

The IWC is the global body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling.  The IWC currently has 88 member governments from countries all over the world.  The Commission's role has expanded since its establishment in 1946.  In addition to regulation of whaling, today's IWC works to address a wide range of conservation issues including bycatch and entanglement, ocean noise, pollution and debris, collision between whales and ships, and sustainable whale watching.

Entry into force:
Region:
Global
Number of parties:
88