News Archive
Resolutions from "Whaling for the Future" Conferece - Faroe Islands, Sept. 2002.
World Council of Whalers
September 26-29, 2002
Torshavn, Faroe Islands
AWARE of the many known health benefits associated with the consumption of marine products and the consequent social, economic and cultural contributions these resources provide to many nations' producers and consumers throughout the world, and
MINDFUL of the threat to human well-being and global food security caused by pollution of the seas and oceans of the world, and
UNDERSTANDING that such risks to human health and well-being can have a significant impact on small nations and communities heavily dependant on living marine resources and that contribute little to global pollution,
The 4th General Assembly of the World Council of Whalers
COMMENDS efforts of Governments and international organizations to improve understanding of the health and environmental impacts of chemical pollutants,
URGES governments and industries to continue efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate the production and use of known or probable harmful contaminants, and
RECOMMENDS that UNEP and WHO continue to direct resources toward the development
and conclusion of international agreements aimed at ensuring the natural environment
provides a safe source of food to sustain and enhance human health, economies
and cultural diversity.
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Resolution on Respect to Amending National and International Statutes and Legislation Affecting Maori Trade in Marine Mammal Products.
World Council of Whalers Assembly
September 26-29, 2002
Torshavn, Faroe Islands
RECOGNIZING that national legislation and regulations, as well as international treaties, can unnecessarily restrict the lawful and beneficial trade in art work and crafts upon which individual artists and artisans depend for their livelihoods,
ACKNOWLEDGING that raw material required to sustain such livelihoods may be subject to unnecessarily restrictive regulatory instruments for reasons having nothing to do with conservation objectives
MINDFUL of the fact that such raw materials derived from marine mammals may be especially targeted for such unnecessary regulation and,
AWARE that contemporary conservation theory and practice increasingly recognizes the conservation benefits of sustainable resource use and the many shortcomings of an absolute and indiscriminate ban of trade in natural products.
THEREFORE, the WCW 4th General Assembly strongly supports the efforts of
Maori to seek changes in domestic regulations and CITES listings to enable
them to trade in artworks and artifacts made from marine mammal products,
where such trade will represent no unreasonable threat to relevant local wild
life populations or species.
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Resolution in Support of the Resumption of Minke Whaling by Japanese
Small-type Coastal Communities
World Council of Whalers
September 26-29, 2002
Torshavn, Faroe Islands
Whereas four small coastal communities have traditionally depended upon whaling for their cultural social, dietary and economic needs, and
Whereas the adverse impact of the commercial moratorium have been thoroughly documented and acknowledged by the IWC, and
Whereas the IWC has firmly resolved to work expeditiously to relieve the distress of the four small coastal communities but has failed to do so,
Therefore the WCW 4th general assembly expresses its strong support for people of these communities, and the request of the Government of Japan for an interim relief allocation and urges the IWC to provide for the resumption of their Minke whaling
food to sustain and enhance human health, economies and cultural diversity.