[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 441 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 441

 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the regrettable votes cast 
 by certain Caribbean countries for a resumption of commercial whaling 
  at the 58th annual International Whaling Commission meeting in St. 
                          Kitts in June 2006.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 29, 2006

Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Rahall, and Mr. Gilchrest) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
 International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and 
 Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the regrettable votes cast 
 by certain Caribbean countries for a resumption of commercial whaling 
  at the 58th annual International Whaling Commission meeting in St. 
                          Kitts in June 2006.

Whereas whales have very low reproductive rates, which makes many whale species 
        extremely vulnerable to pressure from whaling, and many whale species 
        were hunted to near extinction by the commercial whaling industry;
Whereas whales migrate throughout the world's oceans, and international 
        cooperation is required to successfully conserve and protect whales;
Whereas, in 1946, a significant number of countries adopted the International 
        Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, which established the 
        International Whaling Commission to provide for the proper conservation 
        of whale populations;
Whereas the International Whaling Commission adopted a moratorium on commercial 
        whaling in 1982 to conserve and promote the recovery of whale 
        populations and later established the Indian Ocean and part of the ocean 
        around the Antarctic as a whale sanctuary to further enhance the 
        recovery of whale populations;
Whereas, at the 58th annual International Whaling Commission meeting in St. 
        Kitts in June 2006, the Caribbean countries of Antigua and Barbuda, 
        Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and 
        the Grenadines voted with pro-whaling interests to support the 
        resumption of commercial whaling by claiming the moratorium is no longer 
        necessary, to allow Japan to hunt 150 minke whales, to remove 
        conservation efforts directed at small whales and dolphins, and to 
        implement secret ballots;
Whereas five of these six Caribbean countries, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 
        abstained, also voted to delete the Southern Ocean Sanctuary;
Whereas a majority of tourists to these six Caribbean countries come from the 
        United States, and the American people are overwhelmingly opposed to the 
        resumption of commercial whaling;
Whereas thirty species of whale and dolphins can be found in the Caribbean, and 
        commercial enterprises offering whale watching tours began in the 
        Caribbean in the mid-1980s and has rapidly expanded;
Whereas the revenue attributable to whale watching far exceeds the revenue 
        attributable to whaling;
Whereas, by supporting the resumption of commercial whaling, a country could 
        adversely affect its international image and jeopardize its tourism 
        industry; and
Whereas, in May 2006, Caribbean environmental leaders, whale watch operators, 
        and tourism industry representatives met in Trinidad to voice their 
        concern and opposition to whaling and to challenge their governments to 
        change their pro-whaling positions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Caribbean countries of Antigua and Barbuda, 
        Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. 
        Vincent and the Grenadines should--
                    (A) renounce their support for a resumption of 
                commercial whaling and instead support fledgling whale 
                watching operations in the Caribbean;
                    (B) join with the United States and a majority of 
                other countries to support strong conservation measures 
                for whales; and
                    (C) at the next annual International Whaling 
                Commission meeting, oppose the resumption of commercial 
                whaling, support existing sanctuaries and the creation 
                of new sanctuaries, support strong conservation 
                measures for whales, and oppose the use of secret 
                balloting at International Whaling Commission meetings; 
                and
            (2) the United States should consider the position of these 
        Caribbean countries regarding commercial whaling when 
        considering any future foreign aid to, or trade agreements 
        with, these countries.
                                 <all>