Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling

In some parts of the world, whale products play an important role in the nutritional and cultural life of native peoples.  Four IWC member countries conduct aboriginal subsistence hunts today: Denmark (Greenland), Russia (Chukotka), St Vincent and the Grenadines (Bequia) and the United States (Alaska and also potentially a resumption of hunts previously undertaken by the Makah Tribe of Washington State).

From the outset, the IWC recognised that indigenous or aboriginal subsistence whaling is not the same as commercial whaling. Aboriginal whaling does not seek to maximise catches or profit.  It is categorised differently by the IWC and is not subject to the moratorium.  The IWC recognises that its regulations have the potential to impact significantly on traditional cultures, and great care must be taken in discharging this responsibility. 

In summary, the IWC objectives for  management of aboriginal subsistence whaling are to ensure that hunted whale populations are maintained at (or brought back to) healthy levels, and to enable native people to hunt whales at levels that are appropriate to cultural and nutritional requirements in the long term.

ASW catch limits are set in multiple-year blocks, most recently at the Commission meeting in September 2018.  The Commission considers information from the Scientific Committee regarding the sustainability of proposed hunts and safe catch limits, and information from the relevant national governments related to the needs of their indigenous people.  This information is made publicly available online in Descriptions of the Hunts which summarise the relevant cultural, subsistence and nutritional information about each hunt, products and distribution. 

Click here to read the 2018 Descriptions of the Hunt.
Click here to read more about scientific advice on ASW.

At the IWC meeting in September 2018, a number of new initiatives were endorsed in order to facilitate a more straight-forward process when catch limits are next considered at the 2024 meeting of the Commission.

The new initiatives include:

• a new timetable for sharing information from the hunts, and receiving feedback, maximising discussion time and transparency;

• agreement that status quo catch limits would be renewed automatically, assuming  a series of agreed steps continue to  be completed;

• a commitment to establish closer ties with international and inter-governmental organisations focusing on indigenous rights.     

The September IWC meeting also welcomed voluntary funding to support further work to improve the animal welfare aspects of aboriginal subsistence hunts. 

Click here for ASW catches since 1986

Click here for current Catch Limits for Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling