CONFIDENTIAL
HKC031/9
37
12TT54
MDHOAN 4885
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1063
OF 05110OZ JUNE 91
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
36
Top COPY тор сору
pa (5616
MIPT: IRO SUB-GROUP: MULTILATERAL TREATIES: CONSERVATION
1.
ра
DRAFT PAPER ON INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE REGULATION
OF WHALING (1946) AND PROTOCOL TO THE 1946 CONVENTION (1956)
BEGINS
THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE REGULATION OF WHALING (THE
CONVENTION) WAS SIGNED IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON 2 DECEMBER 1946
AND CAME INTO FORCE ON 10 NOVEMBER 1948 (TEXT AT ANNEX A). ITS
PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROPER CONSERVATION OF WHALE STOCKS AND THUS MAKE POSSIBLE THE ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE
WHALING INDUSTRY. THE UNITED KINGDOM RATIFIED THE CONVENTION ON
17 JUNE 1947 (REFERENCE AT ANNEX B). THIS RATIFICATION
HONG KONG.
2.
COVERS
THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHED THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC) WHICH MEETS ANNUALLY IN JUNE/JULY IN THE UK, WHERE THE SECRETARIAT IS BASED, OR IN ANY OTHER MEMBER COUNTRY BY INVITATION. THE IWC HAS THREE COMMITTEES - SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL, AND FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IN TURN CAN HAVE SUB-COMMITTEES. THE MAIN DUTY OF THE IWC IS TO KEEP UNDER REVIEW AND REVISE AS NECESSARY THE MEASURES LAID DOWN IN THE SCHEDULE TO THE CONVENTION WHICH GOVERNS THE CONDUCT OF WHALING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THESE MEASURES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROVIDE FOR THE COMPLETE PROTECTION OF CERTAIN SPECIES, DESIGNATE SPECIFIED AREAS AS WHALE SANCTUARIES, SET LIMITS ON THE MAXIMUM NUMBERS OF WHALES WHICH MAY BE TAKEN IN ANY ONE SEASON, PRESCRIBE OPEN AND CLOSED SEASONS AND AREAS FOR WHALING, SET LIMITS ON THE SIZE OF WHALES WHICH MAY BE KILLED, AND PROHIBIT THE CAPTURE OF SUCKLING CALVES AND FEMALE WHALES
ACCOMPANIED BY CALVES. IN ADDITION THE IWC COMPILES CATCH REPORTS AND OTHER STATISTICS, AND ENCOURAGES, COORDINATES AND FUNDS WHALE RESEARCH. MEMBERSHIP OF THE IWC IS OPEN TO ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHICH FORMALLY ADHERES TO THE 1946
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