2005 Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 157-166
The deep philosophical and political divisions between the International Whaling Commission (IWC) member countries that support managed whaling activities and those opposed to any harvesting of whales has caused a seriously dysfunctional situation at the IWC. The IWC Scientific Committee, reflecting the division of the whole organization, has been failing to provide consensus scientific advice on important whale conservation and management issues. Strong personal positions on the issues related to whaling, the influence of national government positions on scientists and advocacy have polarized the debates within the Scientific Committee. Scientific uncertainty and the precautionary approach have often been misused to promote anti-whaling positions. Furthermore, considerable effort and energy have been spent collecting as many names as possible on working papers to demonstrate that many share a certain view with the original author. This voting-like practice gives a false impression that a larger number of co-authors means a greater plausibility of the views expressed. This dysfunctional situation not only prevents proper conservation and sustainable utilization of whale stocks but also sets a bad precedent for other natural resource management issues. The Scientific Committee and its advice are becoming increasingly irrelevant to decisions regarding the management of whales and it is legitimate to ask whether under current circumstances it is even needed. However, science has never been the real issue behind the dispute. Unless the Commission and its member governments change their institutionalized dysfunctional discourse and procedures, it is naive to expect outputs from the Scientific Committee that are useful for the sustainable use and management of whale resources in accordance with the objectives of the ICRW.
