Whaling "Whale Hunting”
Objectives:1. Describe the function of the "International Whaling
Commission".2. Discuss the history and future of whaling and its
impact on the marine environment
History
• Exploitation and overfishing of whales began in the 1600s.
• hunted for their blubber (used for its oil), meat, and baleen.
History
• 1800s - Whaling efforts increased after the invention of the fast steamship and explosive harpoon.
• 1900s - intensive whaling led to the near extermination of most species of great whales– most of these species are
now endangered (humpback)
International Whaling Commission (IWC)
– voluntary association of some countries established in 1946
– attempt to regulate whale hunting to stop overfishing
– set quotas; but difficult to enforce because some whaling nations did not belong to the IWC or accept low quotas
– all commercial whaling of great whales was banned by the IWC in 1985
International Whaling Commission (IWC)
– some countries continued to whale anyway
– IWC attempted to establish a sanctuary in Antartica in 1994 (main feeding ground for 80% of the great whales)