Amendments To The Schedule To The International Convention For The Regulation Of Whaling Of 2 December 1946
Source: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/dfat/treaties/notinforce/2002/19.html, 20051220
At a Special Meeting held in Cambridge UK on 14 October 2002, the Commission made the following amendment to the Schedule to the Convention (changes from the Schedule as amended by the 54th Annual meeting in Shimonoseki in May 2002 are shown in CAPS).
Amend paragraph 13 (b) (1) to read:
(1) The taking of bowhead whales from the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas stock by aborigines is permitted, but only when the meat and products of such whales are to be used exclusively for local consumption by the aborigines and further provided that:
(i) For the years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the number of bowhead whales landed shall not exceed 280. For each of these years the number of bowhead whales struck shall not exceed 67, except that any unused portion of a strike quota from any year (including 15 unused strikes from the 1998 - 2002 quota) shall be carried forward and added to the strike quotas of any subsequent years, provided that no more than 15 strikes shall be added to the strike quota for any one year.
(ii) It is forbidden to strike, take or kill calves or any bowhead whale accompanied by a calf.
(iii) THIS PROVISION SHALL BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY BY THE COMMISSION IN LIGHT OF THE ADVICE OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE.
(iv) THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE'S IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT FOR 2004 SHALL BE BINDING ON THE PARTIES INVOLVED AND THEY SHALL MODIFY THE HUNT ACCORDINGLY.
In accordance with Article V of the Convention these amendments 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, paragraph 3 of the Convention will apply.
The ninety-days period will expire on 19 January 2003. In the absence of objections by that date, the amendments will become effective. Contracting Governments will be notified accordingly.
Article V, paragraph 3 of the Convention requires Contracting Governments to acknowledge receipt of this notification of amendments. For convenience, a form of acknowledgement is attached. Please complete and return this to the Secretariat by post, fax or email as soon as possible.
