The IWC was established in 1946 as the global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales. Today the IWC has 88 member countries. The mandate has not changed but many new conservation concerns exist and the IWC work programme now also includes bycatch & entanglement, ship strikes, ocean noise, pollution and debris, and sustainable whale watching.
13 days ago
The IWC has published new General Principles for Whale Watching, a 4-page summary that forms part of a wider package of IWC work to assess and minimise the impacts of whale watching on individual animals, populations and their habitat.
28 days ago
A new IWC survey aims to build a clearer picture of the scale, location and nature of marine seismic surveys conducted for hydrocarbon exploration. The survey will ask government agencies, private companies, research institutions and non-governmental organisations to provide information on survey activity at any point in the next five years.
7 Feb 2023
The IWC is inviting tenders for an Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling survey of international indigenous and human rights instruments. The closing date for responses is 7 April 2023.
16 Jan 2023
After five busy years, Dr Rebecca Lent has decided to stand down as Executive Secretary in 2023. The Commission is therefore recruiting for Dr Lent’s successor.
21 Dec 2022
The report of the IWC68 meeting is available now. This was the first gathering of the Commission for four years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A combination of sub-committee and plenary sessions, the meeting was held over nine days and the Chair’s Report summarises the discussions and outcomes.
Whaling, conservation & welfare issues including whale watching and small cetaceans.
International Whaling Commission
The Red House, 135 Station Road, Impington, Cambridgeshire, CB24 9NP
+44 (0) 1223 233 971
secretariat@iwc.int
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