IWC's Revised Management Procedure
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Subject: IWC's Revised Management Procedure
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Subj: WHALE REVISED MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 09:36:54 -0700
From: Gary Trujillo <gtrujillo@igc.apc.org>
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To: gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us, whe_william@flo.org
Subject: WHALE REVISED MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
/* Written 12:09 PM May 9, 1994 by amacnow in igc:env.forum */
/* ---------- "WHALE REVISED MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE" ---------- */
To: env!seashepherd@conf!igc
Subject: IWC WHALING REVISED MANAGEMENT
>From amacnow Mon May 9 11:42:25 1994
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From: Alan Macnow <amacnow>
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To: igc!amacnow
Subject: IWC Revised Management Plan
Status: R
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
THE REVISED WHALE POPULATION MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
Q: What is the IWC's Revised Management Procedure (RMP)?
A: The Revised Management Procedure (RMP) is a set of rules and
methods for managing baleen whale populations on a species by
species, area by area, and stock by stock basis. It is
designed to safeguard whale populations while providing for
sustainable utilization of stocks that are determined to be at
healthy population levels. It took the IWC's Scientific Com-
mittee six years to develop.
Q: How does the RMP protect endangered or threatened whales?
A: The RMP does not permit whaling for any species or stocks con-
sidered to be threatened or endangered. Moreover, it will not
allow catches of species or stocks that fall below the protec-
tion level, designated as 54 percent of the original popula-
tion level.
Q: What other safeguards are employed in the RMP?
A: Population abundance data and population growth rates in
allowable catch calculations are adjusted downward to reduce
the probability of risk to a minimum. The procedure is
designed to maintain stocks at 72 percent of their original
population size and rebuild stocks that fall below that level.
The RMP also requires constant monitoring of the stocks
through periodic sightings surveys. Catch limits will be
phased out if monitoring stops.
Q: Is there a possibility that a catch limit may inadvertently be
granted for a stock that is thought to be at a population
level over 54 percent but is really under?
A: It is highly unlikely. Even if it were to happen, the IWC
Scientific Committee concluded that the catch limit allowed in
such a case would be so small as to have only a marginal
effect on the stock's recovery rate.
Q: What information is needed to calculate catch limits?
A: The RMP was designed to calculate safe catch limits and
safeguard whale populations with a minimum of data. Initial
annual catch limits will not exceed 0.5% of the population,
well under annual stock replacement through reproduction.
Using the assumption of a high probability of error, the RMP
incorporated the most conservative population assessment meth-
ods consistent with the science of population dynamics.
Basically, the core procedure of the RMP needs: (1) an
estimate of the abundance of a whale population from sightings
surveys together with an estimate of the statistical
uncertainty associated with it; (2) a series of data detailing
past catches from the population; (3) a conservative estimate
of the productivity (annual increase percentage) of the
population; and (4) a series of assumptions and rules to
safeguard against uncertainties in the data, population
dynamics, stock identity, or ecological interaction. This
core procedure is often called the catch limit algorithm.
Q: What safeguards protect against errors in the catch limit
algorithm calculations?
A: Both the data and assumptions are thoroughly tested against
worst case scenarios with computer models which compare
predicted data with actual data. The ultimate safeguard, how-
ever, is the fact that the catch limit algorithm provides for
the continuous monitoring of the population to detect changes.
Catch limits will be reduced if population declines are
detected or phased out if monitoring stops.
Q: What will prevent whaling countries from exceeding catch
limits or taking protected species or stocks?
A: The International Whaling Commission will require all whaling
operations to be conducted under the scrutiny of trained
international observers. The observers will inspect each whale
caught, make sure that all catch and biological data are
recorded properly, and report all violations.
Q: Can the RMP safeguard against threats to whale populations
from catastrophic events, such as an epidemic of disease or
some ecological disaster affecting the whales' food supply?
A: Of course. The RMP is flexible and responsive to change or
uncertainty. Its mandatory monitoring of the whale popula-
tions will detect changes and trigger reductions in catch
limits, if needed. More likely, disease or catastrophic
events will be detected first by the whalers. Also, catch
limits can be reduced or suspended by the IWC at any time in
the event of an emergency.
-end-
FROM: Alan Macnow
Consultant to Japan Whaling Association