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7. THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC) IS THE MAIN INTERNATIONAL BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WHALE STOCKS. THE IWC WAS SET UP UNDER THE 1946 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE REGULATION OF WHALING, AND NOW HAS A TOTAL OF 37 MEMBER COUNTRIES. THE IWC'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR SMALLER CETACEANS (INCLUDING DOLPHINS) IS DISPUTED BY SOME MEMBERS, BUT NOT THE UK. THE ORGANISATION'S FINANCIAL PROBLEMS HAVE ATTRACTED ATTENTION RECENTLY IN THE MEDIA AND LARGELY RESULT FROM NON-PAYMENT OF MEMBERS' DUES. BUT THE FUTURE OPERATIONS OF THE IWC ARE NOT IN JEOPARDY.
THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT
8. ILLEGAL SLAUGHTERING CONTINUES ON A LARGE SCALE AND HAS REDUCED NUMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY IN RECENT YEARS (FROM 2.3M IN 1970 TO ABOUT 700,500 OR LESS TODAY). TRADE IN IVORY IS CONTROLLED BY CITES. THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT IS CURRENTLY LISTED UNDER APPENDIX II OF THE CONVENTION. ACCORDINGLY SOME TRADE IN IVORY FROM THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT IS ALLOWED, BUT IS CONTROLLED THROUGH A LICENSING SYSTEM.
9.
THE EC
THE UK AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS AND IN THE LIGHT OF EVIDENCE THAT EXISTING CONTROLS WERE INADEQUATE HMG ANNOUNCED IN LATE MAY THAT THERE WAS NOW A CLEAR CASE FOR BANNING ALL TRADE IN NEW IVORY. AT THE EC ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL ON 8 JUNE THE UK TOOK THE LEAD IN CALLING FOR A TOTAL BAN ON ALL IMPORTS OF RAW AND WORKED IVORY INTO EC COUNTRIES. COMMISSION ARE NOW PREPARING A FORMAL PROPOSAL UNDER EC REGULATIONS WHICH WOULD IMPOSE A BAN ON VIRTUALLY ALL IVORY IMPORTS INTO THE EC. MEANWHILE, THE UK IMPOSED A TOTAL BAN WITH EFFECT FROM 9 JUNE. AT THE ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL THE UK ALSO SUCCEEDED IN GAINING THE SUPPORT OF MEMBER STATES FOR TRANSFERRING THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT TO APPENDIX I OF CITES. IF AGREED AT THE CITES CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER, THIS WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF IMPOSING A SIMILAR BAN ON TRADE BY ALL SIGNATORIES OF THE CONVENTION. WHALES
10. IN 1982 THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (WITH BRITISH SUPPORT) IMPOSED A MORATORIUM ON ALL COMMERCIAL WHALING BY PARTIES TO THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING CONVENTION. THIS WAS DUE TO GROWING CONCERN ABOUT WHALE STOCKS. THE MORATORIUM CAME INTO EFFECT AS OF THE 1985/86 HUNTING SEASON AND IS DUE TO RUN TO
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