History and purpose

The IWC was set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling which was signed in Washington DC on 2nd December 1946. The preamble to the Convention states that its purpose is to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry.

To read the text of the Convention, click here.

An integral part of the Convention is its legally binding 'Schedule.'  The Schedule sets out specific measures that the IWC has collectively decided are necessary in order to regulate whaling and conserve whale stocks.

These measures include catch limits (which may be zero as it the case for commercial whaling) by species and area, designating specified areas as whale sanctuaries, protection of calves and females accompanied by calves, and restrictions on hunting methods. Unlike the Convention, the Schedule can be amended and updated when the Commission meets (a change requires at least three quarters majority agreement).  There are a number of reasons why changes to the Schedule may be necessary.  These include new information from the Scientific Committee, and variations in the requirements of aboriginal subsistence whalers.

To read the text of the Schedule, click here.

The Commission also co-ordinates and, in several cases, funds conservation work on many species of cetacean. In addition to research, this includes building an international entanglement response capacity, working to prevent ship strikes, and establishment of Conservation Management Plans for key species and populations.  The Commission has also adopted a Strategic Plan for Whalewatching to facilitate the further development of this activity in a way which is responsible and consistent with international best practice.

The Commission undertakes extensive study and research on cetacean populations, develops and maintains scientific databases, and publishes its own peer reviewed scientific journal, the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. 

Membership and Contracting Governments

Membership of the IWC is open to any country in the world that formally adheres to the 1946 Convention. Each member country is known as a Contracting Government and represented by a Commissioner, who is assisted by experts and advisers.

The Chair and Vice-chair are elected from among the Commissioners and usually serve for four years, first as Vice-chair for two years, and then as Chair. The Chair for the period 2018-20 is Andrej Bibic of Slovenia and the Vice-chair is Amadou Telivel Diallo of the Republic of Guinea.

Below is a map showing IWC member countries and when they joined the IWC.  To view a larger version of this map, please click here.

Structure and organisation of the IWC

The work of the Commission is divided across six committees which in turn are comprised of a series of sub-groups.  Some of these sub-groups are long term, standing committees and some are established to complete a specific piece of work.  The groups are chaired by Commissioners, other members of national delegations or subject matter experts from within the wider IWC community.

Click here to view an organisational chart explaining the structure of the Commission, its sub-committees and working groups.

Commission Sub-groups

The work of the Commission is divided between a number of Committees, Sub-committees and Working Groups.  Representatives from the 89 national governments of the Commission can elect to join some or all of these groups. Intersessionally, the groups operate using a combination of correspondence, workshops and meetings. Each group reports progress and makes recommendations to the biennial meeting of the full Commission.

The Scientific Committee.  An important feature of the Convention is the emphasis it places on scientific advice and the Scientific Committee is the oldest, largest and most developed of the IWC Sub-Groups.  It comprises around 200 leading cetacean scientists from many countries (both national delegates and invited experts), the majority of whom attend the Scientific Committee's main, annual meeting.  In addition, each year a number of intersessional workshops and working groups are established, dealing with specific issues.  Click here to read more about the Scientific Committee.

The Conservation Committee works closely with the Scientific Committee on environmental and conservation issues.  Its work includes initiatives to reduce the frequency of ship strikes and advise on the strategic development of the whalewatching industry, as well as developing Conservation Management Plans.  It also receives proposals for new whale sanctuaries, and national reports on cetacean conservation.  Click here to read more about the Conservation Committee.

The Finance and Administration Committee advises the Commission on expenditure, budgets, scale of contributions, financial regulations and staffing.  This Committee has recently reviewed the Commission’s governance arrangements and introduced new measures to increase transparency, ensure cost savings and establish other efficiencies in the way the Commission works.  Click here to read more about the Finance and Administration Committee.

The Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Sub-committee considers information from both the Scientific Committee and from the aboriginal subsistence whaling communities, in order to advise the Commission on issues of sustainability and the dependence of aboriginal communities on specific whale stocks.  This information is the basis for Commission discussions on appropriate management measures.  Click here to read more about the Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Sub-committee.

The Working Group on Whale Killing Methods and Welfare Issues was formally established in 2000 to advise the Commission on the humaneness of whale killing methods, although the Commission has worked on this topic since the 1950s. Its role has developed to look at other welfare issues including euthanasia of stranded whales and entanglement in debris and fishing gear.  Click here to read more about the Working Group on Whale Killing Methods and Welfare Issues.

The Infractions Sub-committee considers matters and documents relating to the monitoring of compliance of member governments with the Schedule to the 1946 Convention, and penalties for infractions.  Click here to read more about the Infractions Sub-Committee.

The IWC Bureau

The Bureau is a group of seven IWC Commissioners elected to oversee the work of the IWC during the intersessional period.  It was created in 2012 when Commission meetings moved from annual to biennial, making the intersessional period longer.  The Bureau is led by the current IWC Chair, and also includes the Vice-chair and the Chair of the Finance and Administration (F&A) Committee.  The remaining membership varies, but aims to reflect and represent the diversity of the 89 member governments in terms of geographic spread and range of views held.

The Bureau members for 2018-20 are Slovenia (Chair), Republic of Guinea (Vice-chair), USA (Chair of  F&A), and Argentina, Ghana, St Lucia and the UK.

The group use a combination of meetings and teleconferences to strengthen the coordination and communication of the Commission’s work plan.

The Bureau also aims to take the burden of process away from the biennial Commission meetings. It handles the pre-meeting preparation and provides increased support to the Chair.  It also receives some of the financial and administrative information previously dealt with during annual Commission meetings.

The Bureau's first in-person meeting was held in St Lucia in September 2013.  To read the report of this and subsequent meetings, and related documents, please click here.