[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 86 (Thursday, June 12, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7845-S7846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 55--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS
REGARDING THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES AT THE 55TH ANNUAL MEETING OF
THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION
Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. McCain, Mr. Hollings, Mr.
Kennedy, Mr. Reed, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Smith, Mr. Levin, Mr.
Akaka, Ms. Collins, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Biden, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Boxer, Mr.
Lautenberg, and Mr. Cochran) submitted the following concurrent
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Con. Res. 55
Whereas whales have very low reproductive rates, making
whale populations extremely vulnerable to pressure from
commercial whaling;
Whereas whales migrate throughout the world's oceans and
international cooperation is required to successfully
conserve and protect whale stocks;
Whereas in 1946 a significant number of the nations of the
world adopted the International Convention for the Regulation
of Whaling, which established the International Whaling
Commission to provide for the proper conservation of whale
stocks;
Whereas the Commission adopted a moratorium on commercial
whaling in 1982 in order to conserve and promote the recovery
of whale stocks, many of which had been hunted to near
extinction by the commercial whaling industry;
Whereas the Commission has designated the Indian Ocean and
the ocean waters around Antarctica as whale sanctuaries to
further enhance the recovery of whale stocks;
Whereas many nations of the world have designated waters
under their jurisdiction as whale sanctuaries where
commercial whaling is prohibited, and additional regional
whale sanctuaries have been proposed by nations that are
members of the Commission;
Whereas one nation has joined the Commission under
questionable authority and claims it has a reservation to the
moratorium that is not recognized by all other Commission
members;
Whereas two member nations currently have reservations to
the Commission's moratorium on commercial whaling, and one
member nation is currently conducting commercial whaling
operations in spite of the moratorium and the protests of
other nations;
Whereas the Commission has adopted several resolutions at
recent meetings asking member nations to halt commercial
whaling activities conducted under reservation to the
moratorium and to refrain from issuing special permits for
research involving the killing of whales;
Whereas one member nation of the Commission has taken a
reservation to the Commission's Southern Ocean Sanctuary and
also continues to conduct unnecessary lethal scientific
whaling in the Southern Ocean and in the North Pacific Ocean;
Whereas whale meat and blubber are being sold commercially
from whales killed pursuant to such unnecessary lethal
scientific whaling, further undermining the moratorium on
commercial whaling;
Whereas the Commission's Scientific Committee has
repeatedly expressed serious concerns about the scientific
need for such lethal research and recognizes the importance
of demonstrating and expanding the use of non-lethal
scientific research methods;
Whereas one member nation in the past unsuccessfully sought
an exemption allowing commercial whaling of up to 50 minke
whales, now uses a scientific permit for these same vessels
to take 50 minke whales, and continues to seek avenues to
allow lethal takes of whales by vessels from specific
communities in a manner that would undermine the moratorium
on commercial whaling;
Whereas more than 7,500 whales have been killed in lethal
scientific whaling programs since the adoption of the
commercial whaling moratorium and the lethal take of whales
under scientific permits has increased both in quantity and
species, with species now including minke, Bryde's, sei, and
sperm whales, and a new proposal has been offered to include
fin whales for the first time;
Whereas the first international trade of whale meat in 15
years occurred last year between two member countries, and
other member countries have stated their intentions to engage
in international trade of whale products, despite a ban on
such trade under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species; and
Whereas engaging in commercial whaling under reservation
and lethal scientific whaling undermines the conservation
program of the Commission: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) at the 55th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling
Commission the United States should--
(A) remain firmly opposed to commercial whaling;
(B) initiate and support efforts to ensure that all
activities conducted under reservations to the Commission's
moratorium or sanctuaries are ceased;
(C) not recognize the reservation to the moratorium against
commercial whaling claimed by one nation that has joined the
Commission under questionable authority;
(D) oppose the lethal taking of whales for scientific
purposes unless such lethal taking is specifically authorized
by the Scientific Committee of the Commission to be necessary
for scientific purposes, seek support for expanding the use
of non-lethal research methods, and seek to end the sale of
whale meat and blubber from whales killed for unnecessary
lethal scientific research;
(E) seek the Commission's support for specific efforts by
member nations to end trade in whale meat;
(F) support the permanent protection of whale populations
through the establishment of whale sanctuaries in which
commercial whaling is prohibited; and
[[Page S7846]]
(G) support efforts to expand data collection on whale
populations, monitor and reduce whale bycatch and other
incidental impacts, create a Conservation Committee, and
otherwise expand whale conservation efforts;
(2) at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species, the United
States should oppose all efforts to reopen international
trade in whale meat or downlist any whale population;
(3) the United States should make full use of all
appropriate diplomatic mechanisms, relevant international
laws and agreements, and other appropriate mechanisms to
implement the goals set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
(4) if the Secretary of Commerce certifies to the
President, under section 8(a)(2) of the Fishermen's
Protective Act of 1967 (22 U.S.C. 1978(a)(2)), that nationals
of a foreign country are engaging in trade or a taking which
diminishes the effectiveness of the Convention, then the
United States should take appropriate steps at its disposal
pursuant to Federal law to convince such foreign country to
cease such trade or taking.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, As Ranking Member of the Oceans, Fisheries
and Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation, I am pleased to join the Chair of the Subcommittee,
Senator Snowe, in submitting a resolution regarding the policy of the
United States at the upcoming 55th Annual Meeting of the International
Whaling Commission, IWC. I wish to also thank my colleagues Mr.
Hollings, Mr. McCain, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Reed, Ms. Collins,
Mr. Dodd, Mr. Smith, Mr. Levin, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Biden, Mr. Corzine,
Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Lieberman for
cosponsoring as well.
The IWC will meet in Berlin from June 16-19, 2003. The IWC was formed
in 1946 under the International Convention for the Regulation of
Whaling, in recognition of the fact that whales are highly migratory
and that international cooperation is necessary for their preservation.
In 1982, due to the severe impacts of whaling on the populations of
large whale species, the IWC agreed on an indefinite moratorium on all
commercial whaling beginning in 1985.
Whales are already under enormous pressure world wide from collisions
with ships, entanglement in fishing gear, coastal pollution, noise
emanating from surface vessels and other sources. The need to conserve
and protest these magnificent mammals is clear.
Despite the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling, significant whaling
has continued. First, pursuant to its reservation to the moratorium.
Norway has continued to commercially harvest whales. Second, Japan has
been using a provision in the Convention--which allows countries to
issue themselves permits for whaling under scientific purposes--to kill
whales in the name of science, and later sell the meat commercially.
More than 7500 whales have been killed in lethal scientific whaling
programs since the adoption of the commercial whaling moratorium, and
the lethal take of whales under scientific permits has increased both
in quantity and species, with species now including minke, Bryde's sei,
and sperm whales.
The IWC Scientific Committee has not requested any of the information
obtained by killing these whales and has stated that the scientific
whaling data obtained through this so-called research is not required
for management. Iceland, which joined the IWC last year under
questionable legal authority--subject to the condition that it can
unilaterally begin commercial whaling after 2006--has recently
indicated its intent to lethally hunt hundreds of whales, including
endangered species such as fin whales, pursuant to this same scientific
whaling exception.
Despite a ban under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species, the first international trade of whale meat in 15
years occurred last year between Norway and Iceland, both member
countries of the IWC. Reports indicate that Norway is seeking to
broaden such trade.
One positive development expected to be addressed at the meeting is a
proposal from Mexico to establish a conservation committee under the
IWC. Such a committee would strengthen the focus of the IWC on
conservation measures that are critically important for the survival of
cetaceans.
This resolution calls for the U.S. delegation to the IWC to remain
firmly opposed to commercial whaling. In addition, this resolution
calls for the U.S. oppose the lethal taking of whales for scientific
purposes unless such lethal taking is specifically authorized by the
Scientific Committee of the Commission. It also calls on the U.S. to
seek to end the sale of whale meat and blubber from whales killed for
unnecessary lethal scientific research to remove this perverse
incentive. The resolution calls for the U.S. delegation to support an
end to the illegal trade of whale meat and to support the permanent
protection of whale populations through the establishment of whale
sanctuaries in which commercial whaling is prohibited. It further calls
on the U.S. to support the establishment of a Conservation Committee,
and to otherwise expand whale conservation efforts. Finally, the
resolution directs the U.S. to make full use of all appropriate
mechanisms to encourage a change in the behavior of other nations which
are undermining the protection of these great creatures.
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