OVERVIEW

• Lethal whaling in the Southern Ocean

• Non-lethal research

• Conclusion

LETHAL RESEARCH: JARPA 1987-2005

• 1987/05: More than 6800 minke whales killed during the 18 year

programme

• Few peer-reviewed papers

• No formal review has been completed by the IWC Scientific

Committee

• Data derived not required for management

LETHAL RESEARCH: JARPA II 2005-INDEFINITE

• JARPA II announced in 2005

– IWC 57 Resolution called on the

proponent not to proceed

• 2 year feasibility study: 2005/06 and 2006/07

• Full programme from 2007/08: open-ended

– Up to 935 minke whales per year

– 50 fin whales per year

– 50 humpback whales per year

JARPA II: HUMPBACK WHALES

• Listed as “vulnerable” by IUCN

• Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whale Comprehensive Assessment

Workshop in April 2006 concluded that:

– Humpback whale populations more complex than previously thought

– Knowledge gaps can be filled with non-lethal techniques, particularly

genetics, and remote telemetry

• A small take of humpback whales that migrate between the Southern Ocean

and the South Pacific could have severe conservation implications

• Humpbacks are the basis for whale watching in Australia and the South Pacific

JARPA II: FIN WHALES

• Second largest animal in the world after blue whales

• About 723 000 killed to 1979

• So rare we do not have even a rough estimate of numbers

• Listed as “endangered” on the IUCN red list– there should be no

human induced mortality

• Lethal sampling of these endangered whales will not improve our

knowledge and will threaten the species survival

NON-LETHAL RESEARCH TECHNIQUES

• Non-lethal research techniques currently being used by Australia and others

include:

– Visual and acoustic surveys to determine population numbers

– Satellite tracking to gain information on whale movements necessary to

determine population boundaries and structure

– Faeces sampling to gain a complete picture of whale feeding habits

– Biopsy sampling to provide material to assist with:

• Population structure (using genetic techniques)

• Pre-exploitation stock size (using genetic techniques)

• Reproductive status (hormone analysis)

• Age profiling (through emerging DNA research)

• Toxin concentrations (e.g. heavy metals and pesticides)

CONCLUSION

Lethal whaling:

– is not required to identify the gaps in the IWC’s knowledge of whale

populations

– impacts on endangered and vulnerable populations

Non-lethal research techniques:

– have been developed that enable us to study whale populations without

threatening their status

– can, and should, be used in all circumstances