Number 32 June 2006 ISSN 1192-3539

EDITORIAL This month, the 58th Annual Meeting of the International soon as possible in accordance with advice from Norwegian Whaling Commission (IWC) convenes in St. Kitts and Nevis. It scientists. was during the 42nd IWC meeting held in Noordwijk, the Norwegian whalers will also be allowed to hunt minke whales Netherlands, in 1990 that a decision was taken to establish the in a larger part of the Jan Mayen area beginning in 2006, a International Network for Whaling Research. It was decided the measure requested by whalers following small catches in this network would produce a newsletter, organize conferences and region of the Greenland Sea in previous years; in 2005, only workshops on whaling topics, and seek to interest an academic five of the allowable catch of 145 animals in the Jan Mayen press in publishing books on whaling. The first INWR area were taken. Recent marketing campaigns and the conference was held in Winnipeg, Canada, on community- development of new products appear to have stimulated the based whaling in the northern regions, followed by others in demand for whale meat. Washington DC, Lake Tahoe (Nevada), Quebec City, Halifax (Canada), Bodø (Norway), and Berkeley (California). The Norway uses a model developed by the International Whaling INWR newsletter (INWR Digest No. 1) began publication in Commission (IWC) to calculate the annual minke quota. At October 1992, and continues to be mailed to individual present, Norwegian and international scientists are working to subscribers and libraries; it is also accessible on the INWR improve the model after preliminary analyses indicate that the website. In 1991, CCI Press in Edmonton, Canada, agreed to IWC model does not meet management objectives and is much publish a dedicated series of books and monographs as its more conservative than previously believed. Norwegian Studies in Whaling series (ISSN0838-133X). In this issue of whaling is subject to tight controls: whalers are required to INWR Digest, the latest book (No. 8) in this series is register all relevant information in a logbook and national announced: Scientific Uncertainty and the Politics of Whaling inspectors, international observers, and coast guard officials by Michael Heazle of Griffith University, Australia. Dr. perform random inspections. Next year, all vessels will be Heazle’s book focuses attention on the impasse within the IWC equipped with an electronic inspection system that records over the appropriateness (or not) of sustainably utilizing (i.e. how many whales are hunted at what exact location and at conserving) whales, and how considerations other than those of what time. Norwegian whalers are required to take a tissue a scientific nature affect many of the arguments and the sample from each whale for a DNA-registry; so far about decisions being taken in the IWC. This same theme was 5,000 samples have been collected since 1997. explored from a complementary (anthropological) perspective in the previous Studies in Whaling volume, titled Marine IWC ABORIGINAL WHALING QUOTAS Mammals and Northern Cultures (by Arne Kalland et al., Annual meetings of the IWC may review quotas set for announced in INWR Digest 31). aboriginal whale fisheries of its members. The fisheries in question are those of member countries Denmark, Russia, St. NORWAY WHALING QUOTA INCREASED Vincent and the Grenadines, and the U.S.A and for those Norway increased its annual whaling quota by a further 250 particular species subject to IWC management (namely animals to 1052 whales in 2006, the highest quota since the bowhead, fin, gray, humpback and minke). The IWC mid-1980s. 639 minke whales were taken during the 2005 Aboriginal-subsistence whaling regime sets the allowable summer hunting season from a quota of 796; the 2004 quota catch level (quota) based on the demonstrated nutritional, was 670. In announcing the 2006 quota, the Minister of subsistence and cultural needs of each whaling nation, Fisheries and Coastal Affairs referred to the unanimous although according to its Convention, the IWC may only set parliamentary request for a larger minke whale quota for the catch quotas for a specific whale stock, not a whaling nation. current season. The minister also referred to a 2004 White Thus, in those cases where more than one nation hunts any Paper on Norwegian whaling policy in which parliament particular stock of whales, the division of the quota is decided instructed the Government to significantly increase the quota as outside of the IWC.

1 The whaling catch limits are currently set for a five-year period. Representative of the European Union recommended that Thus the total allowable catch from the Bering-Chukchi- CITES undertake a trade review of narwhal product sales, Beaufort Seas stock of bowhead whales (taken by Alaskan and claiming that narwhal hunting has increased in West Chukotkan whalers in Russia) is currently set at 280 for the Greenland and Canada since CITES' last trade review in 1995 period 2003 - 2007, with no more than 67 whales to be struck in and that hunting is carried out at an unsustainable level in both any year and with a maximum of 15 unused strikes allowed to countries. While Canada has had narwhal quotas in place for be carried over to the following year. The Eastern North Pacific years, the report tabled at the CITES meeting takes issue with gray whale total allowable catch (taken by Chukotkan and how hunting limits are set. The report notes that Greenland Makah [USA] whalers) is set at 620 for the years 2003-2007, adopted its first narwhal-hunt regulations in 2004, yet its legal with a maximum of 140 in any one year. quota of 300 narwhal that year was still above the limit of 135 recommended by marine biologists. An annual catch of 19 West Greenland fin whales (taken by Greenlanders) has been set for each of the years 2003 through Greenland, in responding to the CITES call for a trade review 2007. West Greenlanders are also allocated 175 minke whale pointed out that CITES is mandated to control trade only when strikes for each of the years 2003- 2007. The annual catch of species are threatened by the trade itself, and pointed out that West Greenland minke whales (taken by West Greenlanders) international trade is not the main incentive for narwhal for the years 2003 through 2007 is set at 175 strikes, with up to hunting, consequently imposing a trade ban is unlikely to 15 unused strikes allowed to be carried over each year. An effect the level of exploitation. The Greenland narwhal hunt is annual catch of 12 East Greenland minke whales (taken by East a subsistence hunt with meat and skin [mattak] principally Greenlanders) is allowed for the years 2003-2007, with up to 3 used domestically as food, with the tusk a surplus product and unused strikes permitted to be carried over each year. the only part of the whale occasionally traded internationally. Greenland, while recognizing that the narwhal population has For the 2003 – 2007 period, the number of humpback whales declined, stated that narwhal hunting has not increased, but allowed to be taken by St Vincent and the Grenadines (taken by rather decreased in recent years, Greenland noted that it had Bequian whalers) is not to exceed 20 animals. taken action to conserve narwhal stocks and will improve its export system for narwhal, while pointing out that maintaining In each of these nations other cetacean species are hunted, a limited market for ivory encourages hunters to kill tusk- including beluga whales in Chukotka and Alaska, beluga, bearing males rather than females. A report prepared by Dr. narwhal and long-finned pilot whales in Greenland, and short- Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen from the Greenlandic Institute of finned pilot whales in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Natural Resources, argues that there is no need for a trade review of narwhal because Greenland has taken moves to CARIBBEAN HUMPBACK WHALING reduce the narwhal harvest. On April 9 2006 a 13.9 m (46.4 ft) humpback whale was landed Greenland says that the appearance of increased trade results by two Bequian whaling boats hunting co-operatively. St. from the greater ease with which craftspeople can obtain Vincent and the Grenadines has a quota not exceeding 20 export permits today, also noting that craft products can be humpbacks for the 2003 – 2007 seasons. North Atlantic made from pieces of narwhal tusk, teeth or bones obtained humpbacks, now numbering ca. 11,500, are believed to have many years after the narwhal was hunted. Since 1995, Canada recovered to their pre-exploitation numbers. In 2005, Bequian and Greenland have exported 2,082 tusks, 5,379 kilos of meat, whalers landed one humpback, measuring 10.5 m (35 ft). A 1,716 narwhal teeth or tusks and 3,342 narwhal ivory, or bone small number of short-finned pilot whales (in the range 50- carvings. Canada's average annual export of tusks rose from 79 60/year) are also taken each year in St. Vincent and the tusks to 122 by 2002. Narwhal meat, blubber and mattak is Grenadines, one of four Eastern Caribbean nations engaging in sold locally in Greenland or sent to ca.12,000 Greenlanders this particular small-boat fishery. living in Denmark as patients, students, and (mostly temporary) residents. CITES EYES NARWHAL IVORY CRITICALLY-ENDANGERED CETACEANS CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered The current issue of Upwellings (Volume 11, No. 1, the Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an intergovernmental body newsletter of the Pacific Cetacean Group, Moss Landing, that sets controls on the international sale of threatened species California), identifies the top 10 critically endangered cetacean or the products made from such animal or plant parts. In 2005, species. Only one of the listed species (the bowhead whale) is CITES considered imposing an international trade ban on the subjected to whaling. The list was compiled by Dr. Thomas A. sale of narwhal tusks and items made from narwhal ivory. A Jefferson whose current research focuses on the conservation report tabled at a recent CITES meeting claimed that the biology of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) hunting of narwhal in Canada and Greenland had "increased and finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) populations since 1995 to unsustainable levels" and the "international trade in Hong Kong and surrounding waters. The listing, beginning in narwhal products has also increased and changed in focus, with the most endangered, is: from whole tusks to a high volume of carvings and pieces of 1) Yangtze River dolphin or baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) tusk, making it harder to assess the real impact of the trade on 2) Gulf of CA harbor porpoise or vaquita (Phocoena sinus) the species." 3) North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica)

2 4) North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) please). The organizer reserves the right to refuse 5) South Asian River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) participation. 6) Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) 7) Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) 8) Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) NEW BOOK: ON THE POLITICS OF WHALING 9) Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) A new book, titled Scientific Uncertainty and the Politics of 10) Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) Whaling, by Michael Heazle (see PUBLICATIONS, below), examines how International Whaling Commission (IWC) Upwellings Newsletter is available online: policy has dramatically shifted from furthering the interests of http://www.pacificcetaceangroup.org/html/newsletter.html whaling nations to eventually banning all commercial whaling. Focusing on the internal workings of the IWC, the author 7th COLOGNE WHALING MEETING explores the impact of political and economic imperatives on The triennial Cologne Whaling Meetings are one of only two the production and interpretation of scientific research and advice. regular international conferences on the cultural history of human-cetacean relations worldwide, from prehistoric times to Central to this work are the epistemological problems the present day. The 2006 meeting will take place in Cologne, encountered in the production of "truth". Science does not Germany, on November 10 – 12, 2006. Past meetings attracted produce incontestable facts, and the problematic nature of between 60 and 80 participants from up to a dozen countries. knowledge itself allows for varied interpretations of data depending on the interests of those at the table. The author Presentations cover the entire range of human-cetacean argues that it is precisely the nature of scientific knowledge relations, from mythology, literature, art, archaeology, music, that has made uncertainty a tool in the service of political law, technology of whale products and whaling methods, the objectives. When scientific advice to whaling nations could history and maintenance of whaling collections and monuments, not with absolute certainty declare whaling practices a threat to historical strandings, early cetology, whaling history, personal stocks, those IWC members with substantial investments of recollections of whaling veterans, to current whaling policy. It political and economic capital in whaling, used this uncertainty is planned to hold an exhibition on “Baleen in Art and Artifacts to reject a reduction in quotas. Later, as perceptions and the from Seven Centuries” in conjunction with the November 2006 economic importance of whaling changed, and with public meeting. Meeting presentations will include: Dr. Uwe Schnall opinion turning against commercial whaling, uncertainty (Germany), “Whale food, Vinland, Anno 1002: The literary switched sides. Non-whaling members in the IWC, a majority tradition of the first whale recorded to have been eaten in the by the late 1970s, claimed that because scientific data could New World”; Ingvar Svanberg (Sweden), “Troll whales in not prove that commercial whaling was sustainable, hunting Scandinavian folklore and mythology”; Jorge Guzman- should stop, with the result that uncertainty was now used to Gutierrez (Chile), “Whales and whalers of the Southern Seas: protect the resource rather than the industry. Testimonies from cartography and travel accounts of the 16th and 17th centuries”; Karin Gille-Linne & Sandra Juwig Dr. Michael Heazle is a Research Fellow at the Griffith Asia (Germany), “How did the narwhal get to Hannoversch Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Münden? Carvings in 17th-century half-timbering in the South of Lower Saxony,Germany”; Nicholas Redman (U.K), “The PUBLICATIONS whale bone inventory project – progress report”; Thierry du Allen, R.C. and I. Keay 2006. Bowhead whales in the Eastern Pasquier (France), “The changing uses of baleen in people’s Arctic, 1611-1911: population reconstruction with historical daily lives”; Tony Dumitru (USA), “Whaling and the whaling. Environment and History 12(1):89-113. spermaceti candle industry on Nantucket”; Dr. Karen Oslund (USA), “North Atlantic whaling: A case study for global Basberg, Bjørn L. 2005. In the wake of Tonnessen and whaling politics?”; Joost Schokkenbroek (Netherlands), “Too Johnsen: Trends in whaling history research after 1970. hot to handle? Dutch whaling and seal hunting in the Arctic Discussion Paper 19/05. 21pp. Presented at The Second during the nineteenth century”; Dr. Susan Lebo (USA), Symposium on W haling & History, Com. Chr. Christensen's “Nineteenth-century whaling trade with Pacific indigenous Whaling Museum, Sandefjord, Norway. communities”; Jan-Erik Ringstad (Norway), “Sandefjord’s development into the world’s whaling capital”; Elva Berg, Kjell 2003. Alt vel…Fangs tog eventyr I isen. Tromsø: Guðmundsdóttir (Iceland), “Whale at three o’clock! Joy and Polar forlag. 184 pp., illus. disappointment in Icelandic whale-watching”. In case a presenter drops out at short notice: Klaus Barthelmess Betts, Matthew and T. Max Friesen 2006. Declining foraging (Germany), “Norwegian Whaling Association versus Olympic returns from an inexhaustible resource? Abundance indices Whaling Company – a ploy in the CIA campaign against and beluga whaling in the western Canadian Arctic. Journal of Onassis?”] Anthropological Archaeology 25(1):59-81.

Request your invitation and registration information for the Dickinson, Anthony B. and Chesley W. Sanger. 2005. Cologne meeting by sending an application to participate, Twentieth-century Shore Station Whaling in Newfoundland outlining your specific interest in whaling history, to kbarthval and Labrador. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's at gmx.de (edit if you are not a spammer, and no attachments

3 University Press. xvii + 254 p, illus., hard cover. ISBN 0-7735- 2881-4. Can$49.95.

Drejer, Berit 2005. Eit besøk på Aukra Kval. Molde: Møre og Journal of Nautical Archaeology 35(1):165-166. Romsdal Fylke & Norsk Hydro, 19 pp., illus., br. Nakabayashi, Toshikazu 2005. The Takayama festival and Dyck, Ted 2005. Belugas all the way down. In: Robert O. van whale baleen. Isana 32:3-6. Everdinken (compiler), Proceedings of the 14th Inuit Studies Conference, 11-15 August 2004, Calgary, Alberta, pp. 53-64. Neves-Graça, Katja 2005. Chasing whales with Bateson and Calgary: Arctic Institute of North America. ISBN: 1-894788- Daniel. Australian Humanities Review 35: 02-8. Quedens, Georg: 2002. Amrumer Grönlandfahrt auf Walfang und Robbenschlag. Amrum: Verlag Jens Quedens, 2002. 80 Gillespie, Alexander 2005. Whaling Diplomacy: Defining pp., illus., br., Issues in International Environmental Law. xxii + 509 pp. Cheltenham U.K.: Edward Elgar Publishing. $160(hardcover). Read, A.J., P. Drinker, and S. Northridge 2006. Bycatch of ISBN 1-8455421078. marine mammals in U.S. and global fisheries. Conservation Biology 20(1):163-169. Gordon, Tam. n.d. [2005]. Whaling Thoughts Recalled. n.p. [St. Andrews] for the author. 176 pp., illus. Roman, Joe 2006. Whale. London: Reaktion Books. 224 pp., illus. £12.95. ISBN 1-86189-246-2. Grönberg, Cecilia and Jonas Magnusson 2004. Levitian frän Göteborg. Paracetologiska digressioner: Malmaka valen, Rubin, Jeff 2003. Train oil and snotters: eating Antarctic wild Göteborgvitsen, Jona-komplexet och Moby Dick. Stockholm: foods. Gastronomica 3(1):37-57. Glänta Produktion, 237 pp., 30 plates.

Scheiber, Harry N. 2001. Inter-allied Conflicts and Ocean Heazle, Michael 2006. Scientific Uncertainty and the Politics Law, 1945-53. The Occupation Command's Revival of of Whaling, xi + 260 pp., maps, tables, biblio., index. Seattle: Japanese Whaling and Marine Fisheries. Taipei: Institute of University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-98605-0 US$60 European and American Studies, Academia Sinica. X + 233 and Edmonton: CCI Press, Studies in Whaling No.8, ISBN 1- pp. Map, B&W photos. NT$700.00, cloth, ISBN 957-671- 896445-37-3 Can$60 (see insert for INWR Digest subscribers). 784-1; NT$500.00, paper, ISBN 957-671-785-X. Herrera, Guillermo E. and Porter Hoagland 2006. Commercial Svanberg, Ingvar 2004. Fångst av tumlare (Phocoena whaling, tourism, and boycotts: An economic perspective. phocoena) i Sverige. Svenska Linnésällskapets Årsskrift 2004- Marine Policy 30(3):261-269. 2005: 85-98. Hirata, Keiko 2005. Why Japan supports whaling. Journal of Takazawa, Shingo 2005. Alaska Native, Eskimo whaling. International Wildlife Law and Policy 8(2-3):129-150. Isana 32:15-19. Knowles, T.G. and A. Butterworth 2006. Immediate Thoresen, Per 2002. Helse på hvalfangst, in: Vestfold Minne immobilisation of a minke whale using a grenade harpoon 2002. Tønsberg: Vestfold Historielag, pp. 51-61. requires striking a restricted target area. Animal Welfare 15(1):55-57. Vargas, Mariano, ed. by Jaime Conde: Cazadores de ballenas en el Golfo de Cádiz. Algeciras: For the author, Incografic, Mageli, Eldrid 2006. Norwegian-Japanese whaling relations in 2005. 122 p., illus, softcover.. ISBN 84-609-5853-1. 12 Euro. the early 20th century: A case of successful technology transfer. order via www.calmatias.com . Scandinavian Journal of History 31(1):1-16.

Whitehead, Hal and Randall Reeves 2005. Killer whales and Mizroch, S. A., and Rice, D. W. 2006. Have North Pacific whaling: the scavenging hypothesis Biology Letters. (This killer whales switched prey species in response to depletion of paper is available online at: the great whale populations? Marine Ecology Progress Series http://whitelab.biology.dal.ca/hw/Scavenging_2005.pdf with 310:235-246. an Appendix (containing important information) at http://whitelab.biology.dal.ca/hw/Scavenging_2005_supp.pdf Mowat, R.J.C. 2006. The Exploitation and Cultural Importance of Sea Mammals, Edited by Gregory G. Monks. International

International Network for Whaling Research www.ualberta.ca/~inwr/inwr.html Editor: Associate Editors

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