From harpoons to ship strikes, global whale summit tackles the threats facing whales

Forty years after the global ban on commercial whaling took effect, governments from across the world will meet in Australia to defend the ban and confront the increasing threats facing whales.

IFAW will join governments, scientists, and conservationists, in Hobart from 27 September to 2 October for the International Whaling Commission's 70th meeting (IWC70). The IWC is the global body responsible for whale conservation and the regulation for whaling.

The global moratorium on commercial whaling took effect 40 years ago. However, Norway, Iceland, and Japan continue to disregard the ban and have collectively killed an estimated 45,000 whales since 1986. This year alone, Japan has authorised the hunting of more than 400 whales, while Norway has already killed more than 400 whales.

This year's meeting comes at a pivotal moment, with the Icelandic government expected to introduce legislation that could finally bring an end to whaling in its waters.

"The fin whale hunt is both an economic and ecological dead end for Iceland. Continuing to allow these iconic animals to be hunted undermines the country's reputation as a progressive ocean nation and is increasingly out of step with public opinion," IFAW director of marine conservation Sharon Livermore said.

"All eyes will be on Iceland and the decisions that follow this IWC meeting. A move to end whaling would mark a historic turning point - one that has been a long time coming. It would send a strong signal to the other rogue commercial whaling nations to follow suit and put an end to this prehistoric practice once and for all."

While the whaling moratorium remains one of the most important conservation measures ever adopted, the job is far from finished. Around the world, whale populations are increasingly threatened by vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, bycatch, and underwater noise pollution.

"Whales today face a different set of dangers than they did 40 years ago. Ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement and other human activities are taking a devastating toll on whales and marine life. While not as visually appalling, they're just as deadly. We need to make sure whales are protected not only from harpoons, but from the modern threats putting their recovery at risk," IFAW senior directory of policy Matt Collis said.

Ship strikes are among the leading causes of death for some whale populations. IFAW has been at the forefront of global efforts to reduce vessel collisions, including through its Blue Speeds initiative. The campaign calls for a modest 10% reduction in speeds across the global commercial shipping fleet to protect marine life from collisions, lower underwater noise, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

At IWC70, IFAW is urging governments to back a resolution calling for safer shipping routes away from key whale habitats, rerouting and reducing vessel speeds in high-risk areas, and greater cooperation with the shipping industry and maritime authorities.

Whale and dolphin strandings, an ongoing global concern, will be on the agenda, with IFAW supporting efforts to strengthen protections for marine mammals. The expanding international trade in fish maw and the associated increase in bycatch will also be discussed. The trade continues to claim the lives of tens of thousands of small whales and dolphins each year. IFAW supports a resolution to reduce these preventable deaths.

The establishment of the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary will once again be up for discussion after repeatedly being blocked at previous meetings by pro-whaling nations. IFAW supports the establishment of the long-standing proposal as it would permanently safeguard whales in the region.

"This is an opportunity to not only to celebrate how far whale conservation has come, but to shape its future. The lesson of the past four decades is clear: when we stop killing whales and protect them from human-caused threats, they can recover. The challenge now is ensuring our oceans are safe enough for that recovery to continue," Mr. Collis said.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the whaling moratorium, IFAW and partner organisations launched a petition calling for the complete abolition of commercial whaling. The petition will be presented at IWC70.

ENDS

Media contact:
Dominica Mack
+61 460 432 901
[email protected]

Notes:

• Australia's coastline offers one of the clearest examples of the moratorium's success. By the time whaling ceased in Australian waters, the east coast humpback population had been reduced to little more than 100 animals. Today, thousands of whales migrate along Australia's coastline each year. Recent sightings of southern right whale mothers and calves, along with extraordinary drone footage capturing a humpback whale giving birth off the New South Wales coast, have highlighted the remarkable recovery of whale populations if given the chance to rebound.
• IFAW is among the leading NGOs addressing the threats vessel strikes pose. IFAW works in collision hotspots worldwide-including off Sri Lanka (blue whales), the Hellenic Trench, Greece (sperm whales), east coast US and Canada (North Atlantic right whales), South Africa (humpback and Southern right whales) -to implement solutions that reduce strike risk. Through the IWC and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) we help ensure the best science is applied in high-risk areas for these endangered populations.
• Whales are crucial to the health of marine ecosystems. Through their migrations, they distribute nutrients and promote the growth of phytoplankton - a microorganism that produces about 50 per cent of the world's oxygen and capture large amounts of carbon. Whales also bind large amounts of carbon dioxide in their own biomass. When a whale dies and sinks to the sea floor, this carbon is often stored there for very long periods of time. As a result, whales make a measurable contribution to carbon sequestration in the ocean and thus also to climate protection.

IFAW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country and their connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.