Overall
assessment of JARPN II
 The
results of JARPN II strongly suggested that the feeding habit of whales
has a diverse and extensive applicability in accordance with the changes
in seasonal and geographical distribution of feed species. The research
confirmed presence of many data indicating competition between cetaceans
and fisheries. Such a trend was especially conspicuous in the coastal
area off Kushiro, Hokkaido.
Furthermore,
sighting surveys showed that the stocks of large whales in the western
North Pacific are in a very favorable condition. These results will
be further analyzed and will be used for development of a marine ecosystem
model in order to realize appropriate management of all marine resources,
including whales.
Besides,
diverse scientific knowledge such as biological information regarding
whale breeding was obtained through research efforts. Detailed quantitative
analysis will be conducted and their results will be provided to the
International Whaling Commission and other related international organizations.
The
Fisheries Agency said it hopes to continue active contribution through
whale research catch programs with the aim to achieve sustainable
use of cetaceans and other marine living resources.
The
research for next season is scheduled to be conducted in the coastal
area off Oshika-cho, Miyagi Prefecture, in the spring next year, and
offshore research in the summer.
Results of sighting in offshore research
(by three sampling/sighting boats. The results by a dedicated
sighting boat are now being compiled.)
| Species |
Schools |
No.
of heads |
| Minke whales |
133 |
141 |
| Bryde's whales |
100 |
129 |
| Sperm whales |
259 |
556 |
| Sei whales |
120 |
212 |
| Blue whales |
28 |
37 |
| Fin whales |
34 |
47 |
| Humpback whales |
6 |
6 |
| Baird beaked whales |
9 |
48 |
|
|
Iceland Re-admitted as Full-Member of the IWC
Iceland
was given a full-member status of the International Whaling Commission
at the IWC's Special Meeting held in Cambridge, U.K. on October 14,
2002.
Iceland,
a whaling country, pulled out from the Commission effective from 1992
in protest to the IWC's failure in carrying out a comprehensive review
of the 1982 commercial whaling moratorium. It applied for re-entry
in the commission at the 2001 annual meeting in London with formal
objection to the moratorium decision, but its status had been limited
to that of "an observer" under the Chair's ruling both at
that meeting and the Shimonoseki meeting in 2002.
At
the Cambridge meeting, participated in by 39 member States, the Chair's
ruling to this effect was challenged and overturned by a vote of 19
against and 18 in favor, which admitted Iceland's full-fledged return
to the commission.
Also
on the agenda of the meeting was the joint proposal by the United
States and Russia for a five-year bloc quota of 280 bowhead whales.
The proposal, defeated at the latest annual meeting held in Shimonoseki,
Japan, earlier this year, was adopted by consensus after the two countries
amended their proposal on the basis of the IWC Scientific Committee's
recommendations on this stock.
Japan's
proposal for an interim relief quota of 50 minke whales for its small-type
coastal whaling communities was also cast to votes, but was denied
with 16 in favor and 19 against, with 2 abstentions. |
