Whale Sanctuaries

ESTABLISHING WHALE SANCTUARIES

Proponent countries for the preservation of whales have advanced the idea of establishing whale sanctuaries. The idea is that these protected areas, in which all whaling would be prohibited, would encourage the breeding and development of all whales, and especially the endangered whale populations. A sanctuary has already been established in the Southern Ocean although its borders are not universally respected. Discussions on the creation of a South Pacific sanctuary in the Tonga area -- promoted by the Pacific member nations of the Pacific Islands Forum -- have been ongoing for a number of years, but the proposal failed to receive the necessary three quarters majority vote at the 57th IWC meeting in June, 2005. A similar proposal to create a sanctuary in the South Atlantic also did not receive the required vote at this meeting.

While the creation of whale sanctuaries holds great promise for the re-establishment of certain whale species, it is important to note that even when they are approved by the IWC, several whaling nations, including Japan and Norway, continue whaling within the sanctuaries. This is currently the case in the Southern Ocean sanctuary. The effective value of such sanctuaries really relies on the goodwill and probity of member nations. Indeed, it seems there has been no enforcement in terms of interdiction and prosecutions under IWC whaling regulations for breaches of agreements in approved whale sanctuaries. Regretably, historical experience indicates there is little cause for optimism when enforcement is based on good faith alone.