Forty Years After the Whaling Ban: Whales Have Returned, But What Threatens Them Today?

Four decades ago, the populations of some whale species collapsed due to commercial whaling. Today, Nick Giles, chair of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), says that some of these species “have returned to their pre-whaling levels,” and he describes the commercial whaling ban, in effect since 1986, as one of the most successful measures in the history of biology.

This assessment comes as the IWC holds its 70th meeting in Hobart, Australia, from September 27 to October 2, with around 300 delegates from 63 countries participating. The meeting coincides with the 80th anniversary of the commission’s establishment.

However, the threats to whales have changed. Giles noted that whales become entangled in fishing nets, collide with ships, and are harmed by underwater noise—threats that “were not known” when the ban was imposed.

He believes that whaling itself now accounts for less than about one percent of what it was at its peak. Meanwhile, whale scientist Vanessa Pirotta has warned about krill fishing in Antarctica, where krill are small crustaceans that whales feed on.

Delegates are discussing a proposal, advanced for many years by countries in South and Central America, to establish a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic Ocean. Approval of the proposal requires a three-quarters majority vote. Another item on the agenda concerns the “sustainable use” of whale resources.