International Whaling Commission

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is a specialised regional fishery management organisation established in 1946 under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW). Its primary mandate is to ensure the conservation of whale populations while enabling the orderly development of the whaling industry. Over time, its role has expanded significantly, reflecting growing international concern for marine conservation, biodiversity protection and the ethical treatment of marine mammals.

Establishment and Legal Framework

The IWC was created by the voluntary agreement of signatory states to serve as the sole decision-making authority under the ICRW. The Convention includes a Schedule, which is an integral and amendable component of the treaty. Through periodic revisions to the Schedule, the IWC regulates:

• Complete protection of certain whale species
• Designation of whale sanctuaries
• Limits on the numbers and sizes of whales taken
• Seasonal and geographical restrictions on whaling
• Prohibitions on capturing suckling calves and females with calves
• Permitted methods and intensity of whaling operations
• Gear types and measurement standards
• Compilation of catch reports and scientific data

All regulatory measures are required to be based on findings of the IWC’s scientific advisory bodies, reflecting the treaty’s emphasis on sustainable utilisation informed by scientific evidence.

Scientific and Conservation Activities

Beyond regulation, the IWC plays an active role in whale research. It funds and coordinates scientific studies, publishes the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, and promotes research on the humaneness of whaling methods. Its Scientific Committee synthesises data on whale populations, migration, ecology and environmental pressures.
In 2018, the Florianópolis Declaration marked a decisive shift in the organisation’s mission. Member states affirmed that the IWC’s purpose was the conservation of whales in perpetuity and the restoration of whale populations to their pre-industrial levels. This declaration deemed commercial whaling incompatible with the IWC’s conservation-focused direction.

Withdrawal of Japan and Resumption of National Whaling

Japan, long one of the most prominent whaling nations, announced in December 2018 that it would withdraw from the IWC. The Japanese government argued that the organisation no longer fulfilled its dual mandate of supporting conservation and sustainable whaling. Upon withdrawal in July 2019, Japan resumed commercial whaling within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone but ceased activities in the Southern Hemisphere.

Structure and Membership

The IWC headquarters is located in Impington near Cambridge, England. The Secretariat oversees administrative operations and publications, and maintains meeting calendars, reports and communication channels.
The Commission operates through several committees:

• Scientific Committee, meeting annually
• Conservation Committee
• Finance and Administration Committee
• Technical Committee, currently inactive

Membership is not limited to whaling states, and since 2001 participation has expanded markedly. As of February 2024, the IWC comprises eighty-eight member states, spanning regions in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania. Each member is represented by one Commissioner, who may bring advisers and experts to Commission Meetings.
Since 2012, the main Commission Meeting has been held biennially, while the Scientific Committee continues its annual gatherings. Meetings attract widespread public and media attention due to the long-standing division between pro-whaling and anti-whaling states.
Non-member states, intergovernmental organisations and international NGOs may attend as observers under specific procedural rules, provided they submit prior written requests or have previously attended meetings.

Historical Development and Annual Meetings

The IWC has met annually since 1949, with occasional intersessional special meetings. By the late twentieth century, meetings became increasingly contentious as environmental concerns rose and non-whaling states gained voting majorities.
Throughout the 1970s, a global anti-whaling movement encouraged states to adopt stricter conservation policies, leading to greater scrutiny of catch rates and species endangerment. Reports from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species highlighted several whale species at risk, influencing international opinion and decision-making within the IWC.

The 1982 Moratorium on Commercial Whaling

One of the most significant milestones in IWC history was the 1982 decision to implement a moratorium on commercial whaling. Supported by a three-quarters majority, the measure called for a global pause on commercial whaling beginning in 1986. Voting support came predominantly from non-whaling and anti-whaling states.
Seven states—Brazil, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Peru, South Korea and the USSR—voted against the moratorium. Some lodged formal objections, enabling them to continue whaling legally under convention rules. Japan and Peru later withdrew their objections; Japan’s decision followed diplomatic pressure over fishing quotas in US waters.
Despite the moratorium, Iceland and Japan later pursued limited whaling under scientific or reserved exceptions, generating ongoing debate within the Commission.

Ongoing Issues and Divisions

The IWC remains sharply divided between states advocating for the continuation or resumption of whaling and those committed to permanent protection. Pro-whaling states argue for sustainable use and cultural or economic rights, whereas anti-whaling states promote full conservation and often oppose any form of commercial or scientific whaling.
The tension manifests in debates over:

• Indigenous subsistence whaling quotas
• Scientific whaling programmes
• Marine sanctuaries
• Membership expansion and voting dynamics
• Interpretation of the ICRW’s mandate.

Contemporary Role

Today, the IWC functions primarily as a conservation-oriented body with broad scientific and policy-making responsibilities. Its activities include habitat protection, assessing threats such as ship strikes and entanglement, monitoring environmental change, and promoting the welfare of cetaceans worldwide. With whale populations recovering unevenly across species and regions, the IWC continues to play a pivotal role in international marine conservation governance.