CSI Whales Alive! Vol. IV No. 3 A Statement of Affirmation

Cetacean Society International

Whales Alive!

Vol. IV No. 3 July 1995

A STATEMENT OF AFFIRMATION

Addressed to the Contracting Governments of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling attending the 47th Annual Meeting of the IWC

We believe that even if commercial whaling could be shown to be theoretically sustainable, it cannot now be justified. We therefore urge all member nations to work toward the goal of an IWC management regime of total global protection from consumptive, commercial exploitation, and from lethal scientific whaling.

Sustainable use of natural resources does not require consumptive use. We believe that the optimum utilization of cetacean resources under the ICRW must stem from non-lethal, non-consumptive research, recreational, and educational activities, such as those involved in benign whalewatching.

While continuing to maintain staunch opposition to any resumption of commercial whale killing or any change in the Commission's zero catch limits, we urge member nations to participate in discussions that seek to establish a fail-safe system of supervision and control to be in effect should commercial whaling, nevertheless, come to be authorized at some future date.

Meanwhile, we urge continued discussion of non-lethal research methods and humane killing issues, including restraints on whaling under special permits for scientific purposes. We further urge active work to promote public education regarding the ethical arguments against commercial whale killing.

AGREED TO BY:

Cetacean Society International
World Wildlife Fund-US
International Fund for Animal Welfare-US
Humane Society of the United States
Sierra Club
Earthtrust
Animal Protection Institute
Antarctica Project
Care for the Wild
Human/Dolphin Foundation
Endangered Species Project
International Dolphin Watch
Grupo de los Cien -Mexico
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Greenpeace
Humane Society International
Earth Island Institute
International Wildlife Coalition
Friends of Animals
Great Whales Foundation
Center for Action on Endangered Species
Pacific Whale Foundation
Oceania Project
Marine Conservation Society
Robin des Bois
Japan Whale Conservation Network
Au nom de la Creation
Born Free Foundation
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Patagonia 2000 -Chile
Comite Pro Defensa de la Fauna y Flora (CODEFF-Chile)
Campaign Whale
Center for Marine Conservation
Waterlife Association
ASMS -Working Group for the Protection of Marine Mammals (Switzerland)
Seaborne Switzerland
SOS Sea turtles Switzerland
IG Animal Peace Switzerland
Tierschutzbund Zurich, Switzerland
VETO, Verband Tierschutz Organisation Schweiz
Bluenet e.v. Deutschland
Bund Gegen den Missbrauch der tiere e.v.
The Dolphin Project-US
Association pour l'Amazonie et la defense de la Nature (AADN)
Earthkind
Dolphin Data Base
Dominica Conservation Association
Australian Whale Conservation Foundation
Pangea -Brasil
Verein Gegen Tierfabriken (VGT) -Deutschland
Delphin Project Arion -Deutschland
Vier Pfoten -Osterreich und Deutschland
Vereinigung Gegen Tierfabriken (VGT) -Schweiz
Schweizer Vereinigung fur Vegertaristus
Tierschutzbund Innerschweiz Luzern -Schweiz
Tierschutzbund Basel -Schweiz
Verein fur Tierrechte Bern -Schweiz
IWC -Brasil
Cayman Fauna and Flora Protection Society
Animal Kingdom Foundation
World Society for the Protection of Animals
International League for the Protection of Cetaceans
Danish Animal Welfare Society
Uniao em Defesa da Natureza -Brasil
Dolphin Project Europe
International Dolphin Project
KAG Konsumenten Arbeitsgruppe fur Tiere und umweltfreundliche Nutztierhalung

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