Whale welfare efforts are supported by consensus

Whale welfare efforts are supported by consensus

The International Whaling Commission’s Working Group on Whale Killing Methods and Welfare Issues (WKM&WI) continues its essential work on improving the welfare of whales impacted by human activities. The WKM&WI Working Group convened to review reports, training initiatives, and recommendations, with a focus on enhancing the humaneness of whaling operations and responding to the entanglement of large whales.

The Working Group’s key discussions covered reports from member states detailing whale killings, including the euthanasia of stranded cetaceans. Notable contributions came from Australia, Greenland, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States, highlighting efforts to improve whaling practices. In particular, Greenland, collaborating with NAMMCO, shared the successful implementation of training materials for hunters, emphasising the importance of safety and ethical hunting practices.

A significant outcome of the session was the endorsement of Australia’s National Guidelines for Euthanasia of Stranded Large Whales, offering much-needed guidance on managing these challenging and often emotional incidents. The guidelines are set to become a cornerstone for countries dealing with whale strandings, prioritising animal welfare and public safety.

The Working Group also endorsed its workplan for 2025-2028, including continued support for the Entanglement Initiative, which has trained over 1,800 responders across 42 countries. The initiative remains vital as entanglement poses one of the gravest threats to whale welfare, often resulting in prolonged suffering.

However, while the Working Group’s efforts are widely applauded, some controversies linger. One significant point of contention came from Pro Wildlife, an NGO observer. The organisation expressed concerns about Japan’s decision to resume the hunting of fin whales, raising serious welfare issues. Pro Wildlife highlighted the prolonged time to death and increased suffering during hunts, aiming to reignite debates over the ethics of commercial whaling.