In the face of increased whaling by Japan and Norway, a number of IWC countries have indicated that they might be prepared to tolerate a return to some form of commercial whaling.

Whale meat. © Greenpeace

Despite a history of repeated failure to control commercial whaling, the International Whaling Commission is developing a new set of rules known as the Revised Management Scheme (RMS), which could be used to manage commercial whaling in the near future. Its completion and adoption is required before the IWC can lift the moratorium on whaling.

The change in membership to the IWC as a result of the Japanese government's vote buying iniative has undoubtedly put pressure on countries to agree an RMS. However with the adoption of an RMS there will be enormous pressure to lift the moratorium on commercial whaling. Once the moratorium is lifted it is only a matter of time before the whaling industry ensures that provisions within the RMS to limit their profitability and protect whale populations are eroded. New countries are likely to start whaling and there will be an increase in pirate whaling as well.

For these reasons, Greenpeace believes it is unnecessary and unwise to embark on development of a scheme whose only purpose is to allow for a resumption of commercial whaling. It brings no conservation benefits to whales and does nothing to assist the recovery of whale populations, which were depleted by commercial whaling (some of it conducted under the auspices of the IWC) and remain depleted. For these reasons, Greenpeace strongly opposes the completion and adoption of the RMS.