Abstract
Useful science or unregulated commercial whaling? Nicholas J. Gales, Toshio Kasuya, Phillip J. Clapham and Robert L. Brownell Jr consider the scientific merits of Japan's whaling activities. Japan has told the International Whaling Commission (IWC) of plans to double its annual catch of minke whales to over 900. Unlike commercial whaling, scientific quotas are unregulated: since 1987 Japan has taken about 6,800 minke whales from Antarctic waters for research, and received millions of dollars from selling whale meat. In this issue, four members of IWC's Scientific Committee argue that ‘scientific’ whaling is out of control. If the IWC is to deliver whale conservation or a sustainable whaling industry, they say, its Scientific Committee needs a greatly expanded role.
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