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News: India underlined the need for conservation of whales and other cetaceans at the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission.
About International Whaling Commission
- The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is a global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales.
- Headquarter: It is headquartered in Impington, United Kingdom.
- Set up under: It was set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, signed in 1946.
- Members: Its membership includes 89 governments from all over the world.
- India has been a member of the IWC since 1981 and has played a proactive and prominent role in the conservation of whales.
- The IWC meets annually and adopts regulations on catch limits, whaling methods and protected areas, on the basis of a three-quarters majority vote.
About International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
- The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was signed in 1946.
- Aim: It aims to conserve whale stocks and ensure the orderly development of the whaling industry.
- It categorizes whaling into commercial, aboriginal subsistence, and special permit (scientific).
- Categorization: Whaling is categorized into three types under the Convention – commercial, aboriginal subsistence, and special permit (scientific).
- It also applies to factory ships, land stations, and whale catchers.
- An integral part of the Convention is its legally binding Schedule, which establishes specific measures collectively adopted by the IWC to regulate whaling and ensure the conservation of whale stocks.
- These measures include setting catch limits, which may be zero in the case of commercial whaling, for particular species and areas; designating certain areas as whale sanctuaries; protecting calves and females accompanied by calves; and imposing restrictions on hunting methods.
About IWC-70
- IWC-70 is the 70th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC70).
- Convened at: It was convened at Hobart, Australia.
- Participants: It was attended by around 400 people including government delegates, observers from non-member governments, other intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and representatives of the media.
- India has reaffirmed its commitment to the conservation of whales and other cetaceans (marine mammals) at the IWC-70.
- It was emphasizes that science-based conservation, international cooperation, and practical measures are essential to addressing the threats faced by cetaceans.
