WHEREAS the Commission takes cognizance of Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, under which the granting by any Contracting Government to its nationals of a Special Permit authorising the killing, taking, or treatment of whales for purposes of scientific research remains the responsibility of each Contracting Government, exercising its sovereign rights in respect of maritime areas under its jurisdiction and freedom of the high seas;
WHEREAS the Commission notes the past efforts by Norway in research on whales and investigation of their habitat which do not involve the taking of whales;
Now, THEREFORE, the Commission
CONSIDERS; taking into account the comments of the Scientific Committee (IWC/45/4); that the proposed take of 382 minke whales in the North Atlantic in 1992-94 under the research programme described in SC/44/NHB18 and SC/45/NA5 does not satisfy all the criteria specified in both the 1986 Resolution on Special Permits for Scientific Research and the 1987 Resolution on Scientific Research Programmes, particularly in that the proposed research is not adequately structured so as to contribute to or materially facilitate the completion of the Comprehensive Assessment; neither has it been established that the proposed research addresses critically important research needs.
INVITES the Government of Norway to reconsider the proposed take of minke whales in 1993 and 1994 under special permit, in the light of the above conclusions.