Membership and Contracting Governments

Membership of the IWC is open to any country in the world that formally adheres to the 1946 Convention. Each member country is known as a Contracting Government and represented by a Commissioner, who is assisted by experts and advisers.

The Chair and Vice-chair are elected from among the Commissioners and usually serve for four years, first as Vice-chair for two years, and then as Chair. 

Below is a map showing IWC member countries and when they joined the IWC.  To view a larger version of this map, please click here.

The USA acts as the depository nation for the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (See Article X of the Convention).  This means that any nation wishing to adhere to the Convention, and thus become a member of the IWC, is required to notify the State Department of the USA.  The USA provides a Status of the Convention document which records the dates that Contracting Governments have adhered and withdrawn from the Convention.

The following table shows all IWC member countries and their current Commissioner.  Where the IWC has been so notified, a link is provided to the member countries own webpage dedicated to their representation to the IWC.  Please note the IWC's disclaimer on external links.

Individual contact information for Countries can be downloaded here.