Sir

A number of parties to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) met in Antigua on 3-5 February to consider a plan which, its supporters suggest, could end the existing stalemate between pro- and anti-whalers. Despite the moratorium on commercial whaling agreed in 1982, Japan still takes whales under the guise of scientific research, and Norway continues to hunt using a formal objection to the moratorium. Their combined annual take is more than 1,000 minke whales.

The whalers were invited to phase out their whaling and agree to an international trade ban. In exchange, they were offered IWC-endorsed quotas in their domestic waters. Although the rationale for such a compromise has been outlined elsewhere1,2, many conservation groups remained concerned that the deal would end the moratorium, strongly signalling that commercial whaling was again internationally approved. But, although the issue remains on the agenda for the IWC meeting in May3, it seems that the whalers themselves have rejected the compromise. Arguments that coastal whaling communities deserved quotas to alleviate hardship seem to have lost out to their desire for widespread whaling and trade, appearing to confirm that their motives are purely commercial.

The IWC Scientific Committee is making assessments of whale stocks that will lead to theoretical quotas for various species (even though such quotas have been unilaterally made a reality by Norway for North Atlantic whales). Scientific support for sustainable use also influences the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). At its last meeting, those keen to remove existing trade restrictions on minke whales were only narrowly defeated.

Commercial whaling, however, meets no pressing human need and — however good the modelling — subjects whale populations to unnecessary risk. Baleen whales are long-lived marine predators with relatively low reproductive capacity and tend to make long annual migrations. They may be especially vulnerable to environmental perturbations4.

Furthermore, an emphasis on lethal sustainable use may itself help to generate new markets and trade. This already seems to be the case for caimans5 and elephants; the recent CITES decision to resume trade seems to have led to increased poaching. Indeed, several Caribbean states announced in Antigua their wish to start whaling and, on 26 February, three humpback whales were harpooned by aboriginal whalers from Bequia, Grenadines. (The calf was struck first and used alive to lure its mother; a male escort was struck and lost.)

In the light of these recent events, we should like to repeat our call for the establishment of a global whale sanctuary — to protect whales from direct takes in all maritime waters — and seek the support of the scientific community in this endeavour.