Amendments to the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, London, 1973

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5 JULY 1973

1. At its twenty-fifth meeting held in London from 25 to 29 June 1973, the Commission agreed to the following amendments to the Schedule:

Paragraph 4

Delete sub-paragraphs 4(1) (a) and (b) Insert ‘It is forbidden to kill or attempt to kill blue whales’.

Paragraph 6

Delete in sub-paragraph 6(1) ‘in the North Atlantic Ocean’ Insert at the end of the second line ‘not below 35 feet (10.7 metres) in length’. Delete sub-paragraphs 6 (2), (3) and (4) Delete sub-paragraph 6(5).

Paragraph 7

Delete in sub-paragraph 7( a) ‘(excluding minke whales)’ Insert after ‘whales’ in line 2 ‘except minke whales’.

Paragraph 8

Sub-paragraph 8(a) Delete ‘1950’ line 3 Insert ‘1450’ Delete ‘5000’ line 3 Insert ‘4500’ Delete ‘1972/73’ line 4 Insert ‘1973/74’ Insert after ‘1973/74’. ‘The taking of fin whales shall cease not later than 30 June 1976’.

Sub-paragraph 8(e) Delete ‘650’ line 2 Insert ‘550’ Delete ‘1973’ line 2 Insert ‘1974’

Sub-paragraphs 8 (f) and (g) Delete ‘1973’ line 2 Insert ‘1974’

Sub-paragraph 8(h) Delete ‘1972/73’ line 1 Insert ‘1973/74’ Delete ‘1973’ line 2 Insert ‘1974’ Insert after ‘females’ line 2 ‘The total catches in any of the Areas I to VI shall not exceed the limits shown below:

		MALE	FEMALE
II and III	60W-70E	1,900	1,800
IV and V	70E-170W	2,900	2,100
VI and I	170W-60W	3,200	1,100

Paragraph 9

Sub-paragraph 9(a) Delete the first six lines and Insert ‘It is forbidden to take or kill any sei or Bryde's whales below 40 feet (12.2 metres) except that sei and Bryde's whales’ Delete in lines 8 and 9 ‘except in the north-east Pacific area for a period of three years starting 1st April 1971’.

Sub-paragraph 9(b) Delete in lines 6 and 7 ‘except in the north-east Pacific area for a period of three years starting 1st April 1971’.

Paragraph 10

Sub-paragraph 10(b) Delete ‘(excluding minke)’ line 3 Insert ‘except minke whales’ Delete ‘(excluding minke)’ line 8 Insert ‘except minke whales’

Sub-paragraph 10(c) Delete ‘(excluding minke whales)’ line 6 Insert ‘except minke whales’.

Paragraph 15

Delete paragraph Insert ‘A Contracting Government shall transmit to the Commission copies of all its official laws and regulations relating to whales and whaling and changes in such laws and regulations’.

Paragraph 17

Delete sub-paragraphs 17(c) (1) and (2) and the accompanying footnote.

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

3. The ninety days period will expire at midnight on 3 October. In the absence of objections by that date the amendments will become effective. Contracting Governments will be notified accordingly.

4. Will you please acknowledge receipt of this letter, a copy of which is being sent to each Commissioner.

I am, Sir Your obedient Servant R STACEY Secretary to the Commission

5 OCTOBER 1973

CIRCULAR COMMUNICATION TO ALL CONTRACTING GOVERNMENTS AND COMMISSIONERS, INTERNATIONAL WHALING CONVENTION 1946, AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHEDULE. 1. The Secretary refers to his circular letter dated 5th July 1973, notifying Contracting Governments of the amendments to the Schedule to the Convention agreed at the Commission's Twenty-fifth Annual Meeting.

2. As announced in circular communication dated 18th September 1973, the Government of Japan has objected to the following amendments:

1. the insertion in sub-paragraph 8(a) relating to cessation of the taking of fin whales after June 1976. 2. the maximum catch relating to minke whales in 1973/74 in subparagraph 8(a).

3. the insertion providing for area catch limits after ‘females’ in line 2 of sub-paragraph 8(h).

The Government of the USSR has also notified the Commission of its objection to (2) and (3) of these amendments. In accordance with Article V (3) of the Convention these amendments will remain inoperative for an additional period of 90 days from the 4th October 1973 when, in the absence of further objections these amendments will become binding on all Contracting Governments except the Government of Japan in respect of (1) (2) (3) and the Government of the USSR in respect of (2) and (3).

3. No other objections have been received to the amendments approved at the Twenty-fifth Meeting and the amendments in the following paragraphs therefore become binding on all Contracting Governments from 4th October 1973:

Paragraph 4 sub-paragraphs (1) (a) and (b) Paragraph 6 sub-paragraphs (1) (2) (3) (4) and (5) Paragraph 7 (a) Paragraph 8 sub-paragraph (a) except maximum catch relating to minke whales in 1973/74 and the insertion ‘the taking of fin whales shall cease not later than 30th June 1976’, (e) (f) (g) and (h) except the insertion after ‘females’ in line 2 providing for area catch limits.

Paragraph 9 (a) and (b) Paragraph 10 (b) and (c) Paragraph 15

Paragraph 17 sub-paragraph (c), (1) and (2) and accompanying footnote.

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

9 JANUARY 1974

CIRCULAR COMMUNICATION TO CONTRACTING GOVERNMENTS, INTERNATIONAL WHALING CONVENTION 1946, AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHEDULE. Contracting Governments were advised in the Secretary's Communications of 18th September and 5th October 1973 of objections lodged to parts of the amendments to sub-paragraph 8(a) and 8(b)1@Z_FNOT ENTRY_4 = 1Should read ‘8(h)’. [Footnote added by the Department of State.]> by the Governments of Japan and the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. These objections have not been withdrawn and no further objections have been received. The amended sub-paragraphs are reproduced below and are now fully operative. The parts underlined to which objections were raised came into effect on 2nd January 1974 but are not binding on the Governments who objected to them.

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

8. (a) The number of baleen whales taken during the open season in waters south of 40 South Latitude by factory ships or whale catchers attached thereto under the jurisdiction of the Contracting Governments shall not exceed 1,450 fin whales, 4,500 sei and Bryde's whales combined and 5,000*<*Not binding on the Government of Japan.>Not binding on the Government of the USSR.> minke whales in 1973/74. The taking of fin whales shall cease not later than 30 June 1976.*

8. (h) The number of sperm whales taken in the Southern Hemisphere in the 1973/74 pelagic season and the 1973 coastal season shall not exceed 8,000 males and 5,000 females. The total catches in any of the Areas I to VI shall not exceed the limits shown below:*

		MALE	FEMALE
II and III	60W-70E	1,900	1,800
IV and V	70E-170W	2,900	2,100
VI and I	170W-60W	3,200	1,100
		8,000	5,000