Resolutions of the 51st Meeting of the International Whaling Commission

IWC Resolution 1999-2

Resolution on Special Permits for Scientific Research

WHEREAS Paragraph 1 of Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (Convention) provides that, notwithstanding anything contained in the Convention, any Contracting Government may grant to any of its nationals a Special Permit (Special Permit) authorising that national to kill, take and treat whales for the purposes of scientific research, subject to such other conditions as the Contracting Government thinks fit; and

WHEREAS Paragraph 30 of the Schedule (Schedule) to the Convention provides that all proposed Special Permits be reviewed by the Scientific Committee; and

WHEREAS Paragraph 3 of Article VIII also requires that each Contracting Government shall transmit to such body as shall be designated by the Commission, insofar as is practicable and at intervals of not more than one year, scientific information available to that Government with respect to whales and whaling, including the results of research conducted pursuant to Paragraph 1 of Article VIII; and

WHEREAS the Scientific Committee receives and reviews information provided by Contracting Governments under Paragraph 3 of Article VIII and reports on this to the Commission.

NOW THEREFORE, the Commission:

REQUESTS the Scientific Committee, with respect to all Special Permit Research Programmes, to provide advice to the Commission, on the research to be undertaken pursuant to any proposed Special Permit or that has been undertaken in respect of any Special Permit, as to whether the information sought in the research programme under each Special Permit is:

• required for the purposes of management of the species or stock being researched; and
• whether the information sought could be obtained by non-lethal means.