Amendments to the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, London, 1964

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2ND JULY, 1964

SIR,

Circular letter to all Contracting Governments International Whaling Convention, 1946 Amendments to the Schedule

The Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the Commission closed on Friday 26th June, 1964. The various decisions taken at the meeting will be notified to you in due course, but this letter informs you of the amendments to the Schedule agreed upon by the Commission.

The Schedule amendments are as follows:

Paragraph 2:

For the existing sentence, substitute the following:

‘It is forbidden to take or kill gray whales or right whales except by aborigines or a Contracting Government on behalf of aborigines and only when the meat and products of such whales are to be used exclusively for local consumption by the aborigines.’

Paragraph 4(1):

Delete 1965 and insert 1970.

Paragraph 6(1):

Delete 1964 and insert 1969.

Paragraph 6(3):

Delete the words ‘except in the waters north of 55° south latitude from 0° eastwards to 80° east longitude.

Paragraph 9(a):

Delete 1962 in the ninth line and insert 1965.

Paragraph 9(b):

Delete 1962 in the eighth line and insert 1965.

In accordance with the provisions of Article V of the Convention these amendments will become effective with respect to each Contracting Government ninety days following the date of this letter, unless any Contracting Government lodges an objection in which case the procedure under Article V(3) will be followed.

The ninety-day period is deemed to expire at midnight on 30th September, 1964 and in the absence of objections by that date the amendments will become effective and you will be notified accordingly.

The Commission failed to agree on amendment of Article 8(a) of the Schedule.

It is requested that you acknowledge the receipt of this letter. A copy is being sent to each Commissioner.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

R S WIMPENNY Secretary to the Commission

1ST OCTOBER 1964

Circular Communication to all Contracting Governments International Whaling Convention, 1946 Amendments of Schedule

The Secretary refers to his circular communication of 2nd July, 1964 about the amendments to the Schedule to the Convention which the Commission agreed upon at the Sixteenth Meeting.

In a letter dated 30th September, 1964 from the Japanese Ambassador in London, a copy of which is enclosed, the Secretary has been informed that the Government of Japan object to the amendment to paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule.

In accordance with Article V(3) of the Convention the amendment to paragraph 6(3) will now remain inoperative for an additional period of 90 days from 30th September, 1964, that is until midnight on 29th December, 1964, when in the absence of further objections the amendment to paragraph 6(3) will then become binding on all Contracting Governments except the Government of Japan.

No objections have been received to the other amendments proposed at the Sixteenth Meeting, i.e. to paragraphs 2, 4(1), 6(1), 9(a) and 9(b), and these amendments, which are repeated overleaf, therefore become binding on all Contracting Governments from 1st October, 1964.

The Secretary requests an acknowledgement of the receipt of this letter, a copy of which is being sent to all Commissioners.

23RD DECEMBER, 1964

Circular Communication to all Contracting Governments International Whaling Convention, 1946 Amendments to Schedule

The Secretary refers to his circular communication of 1st October, 1964 in which Contracting Governments were informed of the objection of the Japanese Government to the amendment to paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule.

In a letter received on 22nd December, 1964 the Secretary was informed that the Government of Norway objects to the amendment to paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule. The text of the letter of objection is attached.

In accordance with the terms of Article V(3) of the Convention the amendment to paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule will now remain inoperative for a further 30 days from the date of receipt of the letter of objection from the Government of Norway, that is until 21st January 1965. Thereafter the amendment to this paragraph of the Schedule will be binding on all Contracting Governments except the Governments of Japan and Norway or any other Contracting Government who under Article V(3) of the Convention registers objection before the end of the 30 day period on 21st January, 1965.

The Secretary requests an acknowledgement of the receipt of this communication, a copy of which is being sent to all Commissioners.

22ND JANUARY, 1965

Circular Communication to Contracting Governments International Whaling Convention, 1946 Amendments to Schedule

In communications dated 21st January, 1965 the Secretary has been informed that the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics object to the amendment to paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule which the Commission adopted at the Sixteenth Meeting. The texts of the statements from both of these Governments are attached.

Contracting Governments were advised in the Secretary's communications of 1st October and 23rd December, 1964 of the objections lodged to the amendment of paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule by the Governments of Japan and Norway.

The amendment to paragraph 6(3) of the Schedule closed to blue whaling the waters south of 40° South Latitude and north of 55° South Latitude from 0° eastwards to 80° East Longitude and thus gave complete protection to blue whales in the Antarctic. The amendment comes into effect on 22nd January, 1965, but is not binding upon those Governments who have objected to it i.e. the Governments of Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

A copy of this communication is being sent to all Commissioners and to members of the Scientific Committee.