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6 - The International Whaling Commission (IWC) and whale-watching

from Part I - The historical and contemporary contexts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2014

By
Carole Carlson ,
Naomi Rose ,
Hidehiro Kato  and
Rob Williams
Edited by
James Higham ,
Lars Bejder  and
Rob Williams
Carole Carlson
Affiliation:
Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies; Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown, Provincetown, MA, USA
Naomi Rose
Affiliation:
Humane Society International
Hidehiro Kato
Affiliation:
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT)
Rob Williams
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
James Higham
Affiliation:
University of Otago, New Zealand
Lars Bejder
Affiliation:
Murdoch University, Western Australia
Rob Williams
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
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Summary

Introduction

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the global body charged with ensuring the conservation and management of whales. It performs a central role in the discussion of all aspects of whaling and, since 1975, whale-watching. In terms of whale-watching, the brief of the IWC extends to the scientific, legal, socioeconomic and educational aspects of the activity. A critical function of the IWC for more than three and a half decades has been to collate, analyse and disseminate leading edge research and information on whale-watching to member (and non-member) governments. It also provides a forum for the discussion and dissemination of scientific studies addressing all aspects of whale-watching in a timely manner. As such, the IWC contributes at the global level to the pursuit of sustainable whale-watching, while addressing the educational, socio-cultural and economic development opportunities that are widely associated with it.

This chapter provides a brief review of the activities and outcomes achieved by the IWC in the 37 years since whale-watching became incorporated into the IWC agenda. Central to this historical review is the critical role that the IWC has played in the transition from extractive to non-extractive practices. It also seeks to underline the role of the IWC in facilitating the development of sustainable whale-watching; a future in which education, research, conservation, and management are seamlessly engaged and mutually informing. This goal arises from the philosophy that commercial whale-watching and rigorous science can take place simultaneously, particularly with whale-watching vessels used as ‘platforms of opportunity’ to collect data. In addition, commercial whale-watching passengers can be actively engaged in the research and conservation efforts of the scientific community and management agencies, such that all stakeholders play an active part in learning about whale conservation and informing sustainable tourism management. Lastly, the chapter explores the case of Antarctic whale-watching, illustrating the interplay of commercial whale-watching, science and conservation.

Type
Chapter
Information
Whale-watching
Sustainable Tourism and Ecological Management
 , pp. 71 - 78
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2014

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References

Allen, J., Carlson, C. & Stevick, P. (2006). Interim Report: IWC Research Contract 16, Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue SC/58/SH19. Retrieved from .
Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue. (2006). Retrieved from (21 May 2006).
Antarctic Killer Whale Identification Catalogue. (2006). Retrieved from (21 May 2006).
Dalla Rosa, L., Félix, F., Stevick, P.T. et al. (2012). Feeding grounds of the eastern South Pacific humpback whale population include the South Orkney Islands. Polar Research 31, 17331–17324, DOI: 17310.13402/polar.v17331i17320.17324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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Stevick, P.T., Allen, J.M., Engel, M.H., Félix, F., Haas, B. & Neves, M.C. (in press). Inter-oceanic movement of an adult female humpback whale between Pacific and Atlantic breeding grounds off South America. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management.
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